Anschutz Entertainment Group

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  when (a) Ministers and (b) officials have held meetings with the Anschutz Entertainment Group; where each meeting took place; and which potential sites for casinos were discussed;
	(2)  what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials have held in the last four months with casino operators interested in securing licences under the Gambling Act 2005.

Richard Caborn: DCMS Ministers and officials have met representatives of the Anschutz Entertainment Group and Kerzner International, its partner in the development of the Millennium Dome site, as they have representatives of many companies that may be interested in securing one of the 17 new casino licences permitted by the Gambling Act 2005. The meetings that have been identified are listed in table 1. All these meetings took place in the United Kingdom. Where available, minutes of meetings up to July 2005 have been published on the DCMS website, following requests made under the Freedom of Information Act.
	
		Table 1
		
			  DCMS Minister and/or official(s) present  Who attended the meeting 
		
		
			 15 March 2003 Official(s) Anschutz Entertainment Group 
			 22 January 2004 Lord McIntosh and official(s) Kerzner International 
			 24 May 2004 Lord McIntosh and officials) Kerzner International 
			 23 June 2004 Lord McIntosh and official(s) Overseas casino operators including Kerzner International 
			 8 July 2004 Official(s) Kerzner International 
			 22 July 2004 Official(s) Kerzner International 
			 12 August 2004 Lord McIntosh and official(s) Overseas casino operators 
			 24 February 2005 Lord McIntosh and official(s) Overseas casino operators including Kerzner International 
			 21 March 2005 Lord McIntosh and official(s) Overseas casino operators including Kerzner International 
			 18 May 2005 Official(s) Kerzner International, MGM Mirage, Caesars 
			 18 July 2005 Richard Caborn and official(s) Kerzner International, MGM Mirage, Ameristar, Packer Organisation and Aspinall Group, Sun International 
			 13 September 2005 Official(s) Kerzner International, MGM Mirage, Caesars 
			 30 October 2005 Secretary of State Private dinner hosted by Matthew Freud at which Philip Anschutz and another representative of AEG were present 
			 31 October 2005 Richard Caborn and official(s) Dinner hosted by Lord Heseltine at which Philip Anschutz was present 
			 14 December 2005 Official(s) Kerzner International, MGM Mirage, Harrahs 
		
	
	In addition to the meetings listed in table 1, DCMS Ministers and officials with responsibility for gambling issues have also held meetings with other casino operators or their representatives during the last four months. Relevant meetings that have been identified are listed in table 2. Competitions for the 17 new casino premises are not expected to begin until mid-2007, and the identities of the bidding companies will not be known until then.
	
		Table 2
		
			  DCMS Minister and/or official(s) present  Who attended the meeting 
		
		
			 6 September 2005 Secretary of State and official(s) British Casino Association 
			 21 September 2005 Official(s) British Casino Association 
			 27 September 2005 Official(s) British Casino Association 
			 5 October 2005 Richard Caborn and official(s) Dinner including representative of Casino Association of South Africa 
			 6 October 2005 Richard Caborn and official(s) Sun International 
			 19 October 2005 Richard Caborn and official(s) Business in Sport and Leisure, including a representative of Gala plc 
			 4 November 2005 Official(s) London Clubs International 
			 10 November 2005 Secretary of State and official(s) British Casino Association Annual General Meeting 
			 14 November 2005 Official(s) Representatives of gambling industry, including the British Casino Association 
			 16 November 2005 Richard Caborn and official(s) Meeting with Bingo Association, including representative of Gala plc 
			 21 November 2005 Official(s) Rank Group 
			 7 December 2005 Official(s) British Casino Association

BBC Charter

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it a requirement under BBC Charter renewal that the BBC publish in its annual accounts (a) itemised costs, (b) overheads information and (c) average hourly (i) viewing figures and (ii) costs of production for each channel.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 5 December 2005
	The Green Paper published in March this year makes clear that the new Trust will be expected to demand the highest standards of financial transparency from the BBC in its annual reporting to ensure that the BBC complies with best practice in other public and commercial bodies. Further detail on the new governance arrangements will be set out in the forthcoming White Paper.

Correspondence

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will reply to the letter of 4 October from the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley, to her concerning the Licensing Act 2003.

James Purnell: holding answer 21 November 2005
	I replied to the letter of 4 October from my hon. Friend today.

Departmental Research

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what research projects commissioned by her Department are being undertaken; and what the publication arrangements are in each case.

Richard Caborn: The DCMS currently has commissioned 13 research projects which are in the process of being completed, or have been completed and are scheduled for publication.
	A brief summary of each piece of research, including publication plans, is given as follows.
	1. "Taking Part Survey": The DCMS, working in partnership with our NDPB partners, commissioned the "Taking Part" survey with the aim of improving our current knowledge base of users and non-users of our sectors.
	Findings from the survey are being published quarterly on the DCMS website, and the first quarter's findings were published on 15 December.
	2. "Sport and Social Capital in the United Kingdom: Statistical Evidence from National and International Survey Data": This research looks at the links between different types of sporting participation and individual measures of social capital.
	The research will be published on the website of the DCMS, and the Institute of Public Policy Research. Publication is planned for January 2006.
	3. "Public Libraries: assessment of performance against Annual Library Plans 2004/05": Assessment of authorities' performance against the newly developed Public Library Impact Measures to create a baseline to be assessed against in future years.
	Publication will be on the website of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, and is scheduled for February 2006.
	4. "Enquiring into attitudes towards gambling—a scoping study": This is a study looking at how quantitative surveys can be used to capture accurate data on public attitudes towards gambling and gambling behaviour. The work will be completed early in 2006, and will be published on the DCMS website in due course.
	5. "Enquiring in to expenditure on gambling—a scoping study": A study looking at quantitative surveys can be used to capture accurate data on expenditure on gambling. The project is due for completion at the end of February 2006. Publication will be on the DCMS website in due course.
	6. "Research into risk and protective factors related to problem gambling": This work is due to report by the end of January 2006. The report will be published on the DCMS website in due course.
	7. "Economic impact of cultural investment": This research is part of the development of a framework for understanding the impact of cultural investment by Government. It is due for completion in April 2006, and will be published on the DCMS website in due course.
	8. "Arts and Criminal Justice: feasibility study": This research project looks at the practicalities of assessing the impact of arts interventions in prisons. It is due for completion in January 2006, with publication on the DCMS website soon after.
	9. "Arts and Mental Health: study of effective practice": This research looks at the effectiveness of arts interventions with people with mental health problems. The research is due for completion in October 2006. A report on the research will be published on the DCMS website in due course.
	10. "Review of literature on impact on young people of the computer/video games with a 'Violent' content": We commissioned the University of Stirling to investigate whether allegations of a link between playing violent computer games and violent behaviour in real life can be substantiated. The work is complete, and the report will be published on the DCMS website in January 2006.
	11. "National Lottery, 'Good Causes' research": This projects looks at the views of the general public on how lottery money should be shared between the good causes of arts and film, heritage and sport, and what the policies should be governing how lottery money is spent for each of these good causes. It will support the public consultation currently under way on the DCMS website and is being commissioned now to be carried out by the end of February 2006.
	Results will be published on the DCMS website, along with the main consultation results, in late spring 2006.
	12. "BBC Charter Review": Research exploring public opinion of the Green Paper proposals for the future governance and accountability of the BBC and the collection and enforcement of the licence fee.
	This research will be published on the BBC Charter Review website, alongside the White Paper, once it is published in the new year.
	13. Access to finance by small and medium sized companies in the music business: This project looks at the barriers to accessing financial investment by small and medium sized music businesses in the UK. The work should be completed in January 2006, and will be published on the DCMS website in due course.

Licensing Committees

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will issue guidance to local authorities on the circumstances when councillors (a) may and (b) may not make representations to a licensing committee dealing with a licensing application in their ward.

James Purnell: holding answer 12 December 2005
	Local councillors who themselves live in the vicinity of premises applying for the grant or variation of a premises or club premises certificate are clearly entitled to make representations to the licensing authority in their own right as interested parties.
	Paragraph 5.32 of the Guidance issued under Section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 makes it clear that interested parties can specifically request a representative such as a local ward councillor to make a representation on their behalf. This could include making written representations, applying for a review or by speaking on their behalf at a hearing.
	We are currently reviewing the Guidance and, as part of that process, will consider whether there is a need to provide further clarification on this issue.

London Development Agency

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 16 November 2005, Official Report, column 1250W, on the London Development Agency (Vendors), what criteria the London Development Agency (LDA) will use to decide whether to publish shortlists for contracts; and if she will ask the LDA to publish either a shortlist or the reasons for not publishing a shortlist in relation to each contract.

Richard Caborn: The decision as to whether shortlists will be published will be considered on a case by case basis and ultimately depend on if it helps or hinders effective and fair competition between suppliers.
	These decisions are, and will be, a matter for the London Development Agency and for the Olympic Delivery Authority once it is established.

Damson Trees

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of damson trees in the UK in each of the last five years; and what steps she is taking to preserve them.

Jim Knight: Defra does not collect data on the number of damson trees in the UK, though the hectarage of plums is recorded annually within the Orchard Fruit Survey for England and Wales. As an important feature of certain rural landscapes, damson orchards have been targeted for restoration through funding under agri-environment schemes, including the new Environmental Stewardship Scheme.

EU Sugar Regime

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely impact on jobs in London of the proposed EU draft changes to the European Union sugar regime; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, has separately reported to the House, agreement on reform of the EU sugar regime was successfully concluded under the UK Presidency at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 24 November.
	The Regulatory Impact Assessment prepared by DEFRA following the publication of the Commission's proposals for reform in June this year included consideration of the likely impact on employment in both the sugar production and processing sectors in the UK as well as in companies using sugar as a raw ingredient.
	A significant employer in London in the sugar sector is Tate and Lyle. Assessing the impact on its business of the decisions now reached is a commercial matter for the company itself. In a press release issued following the Council agreement the company made the following statement,
	"Whilst the long-term impact on Tate & Lyle remains significant, the final decision to make the cut in the sugar reference price of 36% (instead of the 39% previously proposed) and to delay the implementation of the price reduction is very welcome."

Flooding

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on flooding in the Severn Basin of the strategy to reduce water levels in the Clywedog Dam; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency is the principal authority with responsibility for flood risk management in England. The extent to which both the Clywedog and Vyrnwy Reservoirs can help mitigate the effects of flooding in the Severn Basin is limited as any beneficial effect to alleviate flooding rapidly diminishes downstream. Other parts of the catchment also contribute floodwater and the proportion that the reservoir holds back becomes smaller as the total catchment area gets bigger.
	The catchment area above Clywedog Dam is 2 per cent. of the entire catchment draining to Shrewsbury and 1 per cent. of the catchment draining to Bridgnorth. Previous studies have indicated that the influence of floodwater storage at Llyn Clywedog has extended only as far as Buttington.
	A study in 1999 for the Environment Agency confirmed that existing reservoir flood drawdown controls, in place for many years, adequately maximise the opportunity for local flood alleviation. The findings of this study have been reviewed as part of the Fluvial Severn Flood Risk Management Strategy, which was issued for public consultation (including to local MPs) in the summer of 2005.
	The Environment Agency's strategy to lower water levels in these reservoirs means more storage being available to hold water during periods of heavy rainfall. This assists flood risk management in the Severn Basin insofar as the reservoirs influence this. However, it should be remembered that the primary function of the reservoirs is to maintain flow in the River Severn during dry periods.

GM Crops

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of her Department's funding in 200506 of research on GM crops and food was allocated to products aimed at benefiting developing countries.

Elliot Morley: My department does not fund any such research on GM crops and food. Any such work would be the responsibility of the Department for International Development.
	DEFRA does fund research into the environmental safety of GMOs to underpin our regulatory responsibilities for the regulation of GMOs within a European context.
	Details of our current research programme are available through the DEFRA website:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/research/index.htm

Nuclear Power Stations

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) assessment she has made of and (b) research she has (i) commissioned and (ii) evaluated on the impact on surrounding agricultural land of (A) building, (B) operating and (C) decommissioning nuclear power stations.

Elliot Morley: No assessments or research of this kind have been commissioned by DEFRA. Environmental impact assessments are required for both the construction and decommissioning of nuclear power stations. Measurements of radioactivity in the environment, including around nuclear power stations, are given in the annual Radioactivity in Food and the Environment report published by the Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Environment  Heritage Service of Northern Ireland and the Food Standards Agency.

Private Members Bills

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list those Private Members' Bills introduced under (a) Standing Order No.14(6), (b) Standing Order No.23 and (c) Standing Order No.57 which were (i) supported and (ii) opposed by her Department in each session since 199798.

Jim Knight: The information requested by the hon. Member could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Unlawful Activities

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what activities have been made unlawful by legislation introduced by her Department since 1 May 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The following Acts created criminal offences in the 200203 session of Parliament
	Animal Health Act 2002 (c.42)
	Created several criminal offences including the offence of deliberately infecting an animal with any one of 15 diseases specified in the Act, including foot-and-mouth disease. The schedule created an offence of failing to comply with a restriction notice preventing the use for breeding of sheep that are of a genotype that is susceptible to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) and also offences of obstructing an inspector carrying out duties under the Act.
	The Waste and Emissions Trading Act 2003 (c.33)
	Provided powers to make offences by regulation for failures to comply with the scheme to be created.
	The Water Act 2003 (c.37)
	Made it an offence under Part 1 to fail to comply with a notice served by the Environment Agency requiring work to be carried out on facilities for impounding water or a licence application to be made for unlicensed impounding works.
	Where abstraction or impounding takes place without a licence or does not comply with the terms of a licence, the Act made it an offence to fail to comply with an enforcement notice issued by the Environment Agency.
	Part 2 created the offence of introducing water to or supplying water from a water undertaker's supply system without being a water undertaker or a licensed supply person. Under Part 3 it is an offence for an owner of manager of a large raised reservoir to fail to prepare a flood plan when required to do so. Part 3 also extended the offence of supplying water unfit for human consumption to apply to persons including employees of the water undertaker and self-employed people involved with the supply of water.
	During the 200304 session the following Acts created criminal offences:
	The Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 (c.11)
	Makes it an offence for any person to act as an unlicensed gangmaster and for any other person to enter into arrangements with an unlicensed gangmaster.
	The Act also created other offences in relation to forgery of documents.
	The Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004 (c.29)
	Extended the offence of obstructing a highway under the Highways Act 1980 so that the directors, managers and other company officers of a guilty company may also be found guilty of the obstruction if it was committed with their consent, connivance or attributable to their neglect.
	The Hunting Act 2004 (c.37)
	Made it an offence under Part 1 to hunt a wild mammal with a dog, except in some circumstances such as where the dog is being used for stalking and flushing-out only, or to participate in, attend or knowingly facilitate a hare-coursing event.
	Part 1 also makes it an offence for the owner of a dog to permit it to be used for hunting or hare-coursing or for the owner of land to allow the land to be entered or used for hunting or hare-coursing.
	During the 20042005 session the following Act created criminal offences:
	The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 (c. 16)
	Created offences in relation to nuisance parking which is the selling or repairing of vehicles on a road by persons in business. Part 6 of the Act created offences in relation to breach of dog control orders, which in relation to specified land may exclude dogs from the land, or prohibit the fouling of the land, or require dogs to be kept on leads when on the land or may limit the number of dogs a person may take onto the specified land. In relation to certain premises in an Alarm Notification Area Part 7 of the Act created offences of failing to nominate a key-holder where an audible intruder alarm is present.
	The Act also made many existing offences punishable by a fixed penalty notice.

Upland Farmers

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will ensure that Entry Level Stewardship takes into account the special character of the English uplands in relation to payment options.

Jim Knight: holding answer 19 December 2005
	The creation of Environmental Stewardship (of which Entry Level Stewardship is a part), involved extensive consultations with stakeholders and other interested groups. Entry Level Stewardship, as the 'whole farm' scheme open to all farmers and land managers, has been designed to cover the vast majority of landscapes and farming systems in England, including those found in upland areas.
	The uplands have a specific range of options, such as those relating to moorland and rough grazing which take into account farming systems in those areas. Entry Level Stewardship has a national payment rate of 30 per hectare, per year, however land parcels of 15 hectares or more in the Less Favoured Area, are eligible for payments of 8 per hectare, per year. This lower payment rate reflects the reduced management input required for these options.

Water Consumption

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the number of litres of (a) sparkling and (b) still water consumed in the United Kingdom in (i) 2001 and (ii) 2002.

Jim Knight: It is estimated that 747 million litres of mineral water were consumed by household members in the UK in the period from April 2001 to March 2002 and 793 million litres in the period from April 2002 to March 2003. These estimates are based upon records of consumer purchases from the Expenditure and Food Survey which doesn't distinguish between still and sparkling mineral water. Figures published by Mintel in its bottled water report of June 2005 indicate that 20 per cent. of bottled water in 2001 was sparkling.

Administrative Savings

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what administrative savings have been made by his Department in each of the last eight years.

Gareth Thomas: The administration costs outturn figures for DFID for the past eight years are set out in the following table:
	
		
			
			  Running costs outturn Administration costs outturn 
		
		
			 199798 52,000,000  
			 199899 59,000,000  
			 19992000 75,000,000  
			 200001 73,000,000  
			 200102 82,000,000  
			 200203 94,000,000  
			 200304  197,000,000 
			 200405 (DFID resource account  200405)  212,000,000 
		
	
	Sources:
	[Figures for 199798 to 200304 from DR 2000, 2004, 2005.
	Figure for 200405 from DFID resource accounts 200405]
	Comparisons between administration budgets in 200304 and earlier years are not possible, due to the adoption of a new administration definition which included administration related items previously recorded within programme expenditure. The new definition improves transparency and management of administration costs.
	Since 1997 the overseas budget has increased significantly, DFID's resource Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) increased by 50.8 per cent. between 199899 and 200405. Over the same period, the administration budget has grown modestly to support the expanding programme.
	Under the SR04 Efficiency Programme, DFID will be saving 20 million in administration costs by 200708 (in 200708 prices) over a baseline of the 200506 budget. Headcount reductions and relocations contribute towards this, as does a reduction of the support services budget by 4.2 million, taking into account inflation, by 200708, over the same baseline. Further details can be found in DFID's Efficiency Technical Note, available on the DFID website address at www.dfid.gov.uk

Consultants

Martin Horwood: To ask the Solicitor-General if he will list departmental projects conducted by consultants in each year since 2000; what the cost was in each case; and what the total cost of employing consultants was in each year.

Mike O'Brien: Detailed information on the use and total cost of consultants for the Law Officers' Departments in the years in question could be ascertained only at disproportionate cost. The following data identifies projects where the Law Officers' Departments have brought in special skills and expertise to provide an independent assessment on significant business areas.
	
		
			
			  200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 200506 
		
		
			 Crown Prosecution Service   
			 Equality and diversity review of CPS 9,143 116,755 
			 Research assessment of how CPS manages diversity issues in the prosecution process  257,491 346,553 139,553   
			 Review of governance and communications   47,685 16,866   
			 Value for money assessment of the COMPASS contract64,085   
			 Review of internal and external communications 26,781  
			 Review of the CPS Equality and Diversity Complaints Procedure 19,153  
			
			 HM CPS Inspectorate   
			 Review of, and provide advice on, HMCPSI's Risk Register7,500   
			 Provision of advice on development of service level agreements for support services within HMCPSI5,422   
			
			 Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Service (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)  
			 Consultancy in support of the Department's pay system  8,500 
			
			 Serious Fraud Office   
			 Operational effectivenesselectronic presentation of evidence   9,000 38,000 40,000 16,000 
			 Docman 78,000 107,000 514,000 389,000 858,000 177,000 
			 Advice on strategic effectiveness 26,000 16,000 
			 Finance Systems  40,000 80,000 12,000 77,000 45,000 
			 Finance functional review45,000 6,000  
			 Human resources  24,000 3,000  45,000 45,000 
			 Information technology security 42,000 111,000 12,000 3,000   
			 Information technology infrastructure 63,000  82,000 155,000 155,000 293,000 
			 Accommodation  24,000 51,000 14,000 23,000 20,000 
			
			 Treasury Solicitor's Office   
			 Pay and grading, competency framework and job evaluation 45,300 47,383 16,683 4,250   
			 Quinquennial Review  60,000 
			 360 degree feedback  22,709 13,848
			 Staff survey   10,000 35,100 28,552  
			 Equal pay review   19,000 2,000 12,161  
			 Diversity issues   3,224 6,866   
			 Review of business process targets and PRACAMs development   93,860
			 Review of costs  5,500 
			
			 Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers   
			 Financial Management and Human Resources 9,867  
			 Human Resources and Website development  8,418 
		
	
	(1) RCPS was established on 18 April 2005.

Equitable Life

Vincent Cable: To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to his answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 502W, on Equitable Life, what account he takes of the completion of relevant civil actions on 2 December; and when the Serious Fraud Office will report on its examination of Equitable Life, commissioned by his Department in January 2004.

Mike O'Brien: On 19 December 2005 the Serious Fraud Office reported that it will not open an investigation into the Equitable Life Assurance Society.
	After careful consideration of the available evidence, including the penrose report and material held by the Society and following the result of the Society's civil action against its previous auditors and some of its former directors. The Serious Fraud Office confirmed that nothing has emerged which would justify a full criminal investigation into the affairs of the Equitable Life Assurance Society.

Media Monitoring

Philip Davies: To ask the Solicitor-General how much the Law Officers' Department has spent on media monitoring activities in each of the last eight financial years.

Mike O'Brien: The Law Officers Departments have spent the following amounts on media monitoring services, for those years where departmental records have not been destroyed or identification would not incur disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  
			 Department 199889 19992000 200001 200102 
		
		
			 Legal Secretariat to Law Officers  4,694 12,699 13,802 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 
			 HMCPS Inspectorate 0 0 0 0 
			 Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office(4) 
			 Serious Fraud Office 9,285 8,581 6,984 4,677 
			 Treasury Solicitor's Office 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Department 200203 200304 200405 200506(3) 
		
		
			 Legal Secretariat to Law Officers 15,905 16,020 23,159 29,378 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 25,097 78,823 15,872 31,626 
			 HMCPS Inspectorate 0 0 0 0 
			 Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office(4)0 
			 Serious Fraud Office 11,457 13,369 11,289 7,691 
			 Treasury Solicitor's Office 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	(3) 200506 to date.
	(4) RCPO was established on 18 April 2005

Cold Weather Payments

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was paid in cold weather payments in winter 200405 to households in (a) Midlothian and (b) Scotland.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	The available information is in the table.
	
		
			  Area Amount of cold weather payments made last winter () 
		
		
			 Midlothian 0 
			 Scotland (5)47,000 
		
	
	(5) Approximately
	Notes:
	1. If the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0 C or below over seven consecutive days at a weather station, then a cold weather payment is triggered for all eligible customers whose postcode is linked to that weather station.
	2. The weather station associated with postcodes in Midlothian did not trigger last winter.
	3. The amount for Scotland is based on the number of people who were estimated to qualify because the weather station linked to their postcode triggered last winter. The number of estimated qualifiers was obtained from the benefit systems at the end of October before last winter. It excludes people on income support and income-based jobseeker's allowance who qualified because they had a disabled child aged five or over and who received support for that child via child tax credit.

Departmental Staff

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are taken by his Department to support staff with mental ill-health.

David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 December 2005 Official Report, column 2370W.

Alzheimer's Disease

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her Department's policy is on treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

Liam Byrne: The Department's policy on the treatment of Alzheimer's disease is clearly stipulated in the mental health standard of the Older People's National Service Framework (NSF).
	This policy statement has been recently reinforced with the publication of our service development guide, Everybody's Business, which outlines the key components of a comprehensive older people's mental health service including dementia care.

Mental Health

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was allocated for mental health services in Hackney North and Stoke Newington in each of the last three financial years for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The funding allocations are made to primary care trusts (PCTs) and the City and Hackney PCT funding allocations for the last three financial years are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Funding ( million) 
		
		
			 200304 266.2 
			 200405 295.1 
			 200506 326.1

Primary Care Trusts (North Yorkshire)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the restructuring of primary care trusts in North Yorkshire.

Liam Byrne: In North Yorkshire, the SNA are consulting on two options for PCT reconfiguration. Consultations began on 14 December, and will run for 14 weeks until 22 March.
	No decisions on reconfiguration will be made until the consultation is complete.

Avian Influenza

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her oral answer of 17 October 2005, Official Report, column, 632W, on avian influenza, what definition of healthcare worker she plans to use for the purposes of treatment for pandemic influenza; and which categories of worker will be eligible for priority supplies of antivirals.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 15 December 2005
	We have purchased 14.6 million courses of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) to treat the 25 percent. of the population that may fall ill. We are aware of the possibility that a pandemic may strike before the antiviral stockpile is complete. The guidance we have published on antiviral storage and distribution takes this into account. Access to antivirals will need to be prioritised, initially to healthcare workers, and to those who fall into one of the 'clinical at risk' groups, as defined for seasonal flu. We have already received 3.3 million treatment courses, so the issue of prioritisation of healthcare workers should not arise.
	Final decisions regarding prioritisation for vaccine and antivirals will be made on the basis of information emerging from the early stages of the pandemic about the virus and those groups most at risk. The UK National Influenza Pandemic Committee, chaired by the chief medical officer, will provide additional advice as required during the pandemic.

Care Standards

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the decision in R v. Leonard Cheshire Foundation (2002) H.R.L.R.30 on the enforceability of provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998 by those using services provided by organisations registered under the Care Standards Act 2000;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the implications of the decision in R v. Leonard Cheshire Foundation (2002) H.R.L.R.30 for NHS services provided by independent sector providers.

Liam Byrne: Consideration has been given to the application of the Human Rights Act to independent sector bodies carrying out national health service services, and to organisations registered under the Care Standards Act 2000. My noble Friend, Baroness Ashton recently said in parliamentary debate:
	On the issue of public authority . . . we share the disappointment about the way 'pubic authority' in the Human Rights Act has been interpreted by the courts. The narrow construction of the definition has not fulfilled our hopes and expectations. The Government are following the advice of the Joint Committee and adopting two strategies to approach the problem. First, . . . we are actively seeking a suitable case in which to intervene to argue for a wider definition of public authority. That would include the point . . . on local authority-funded residents in private care homes, such as the Leonard Cheshire case.
	Furthermore, we are issuing guidance on how the contracts between public authorities and private organisations for the provision of services may seek to protect convention rights. This is a very important area; noble Lords have referred to the need to think about it very carefully. It will benefit from careful consideration and will therefore be a matter for the discrimination law review to consider.

Cholesterol

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what incentives she plans to offer to pharmacists to offer (a) body mass index tests, (b) cholesterol tests, (c) blood pressure tests and (d) other health checks.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Dr. Stoate) today.

Cholesterol

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will estimate the number of pharmacists who are planning to offer health checks including Body Mass Index tests, cholesterol tests and blood pressure tests in response to the Choosing Health through Pharmacy contract;
	(2)  whether the Government plan (a) to measure and (b) to estimate the number of health checks carried out under the Choosing Health through Pharmacy contract;
	(3)  what estimate the Government has made of how many health checks have taken place so far under the Choosing Health through Pharmacy contract;
	(4)  what measures the Government are taking to improve access testing under the Choosing Health through Pharmacy contract in areas of deprivation and poverty.

Jane Kennedy: New community pharmacy contractual arrangements provide the framework for pharmacy to make a positive contribution to tackling key health priorities such as obesity and coronary heart disease and to improving the health of the public, including where health inequalities persist.
	Some pharmacies offer blood pressure testing, cholesterol testing or a range of other screening tests. Such testing should be in accordance with relevant national screening guidelines, where they exist, and in line with local primary care trust (PCT) programmes for prevention and management of risk factors and with robust quality assurance processes.
	We published Choosing Health through Pharmacy A programme for pharmaceutical public health in April 2005, which aims to maximise the contribution of pharmacists, their staff and the premises in which they work to improve health and reduce health inequalities. This strategy will enable pharmacists and their staff to make better use of their skills and it will open up opportunities for pharmacy to make a bigger difference to improving the health of people in England. PCTs can commission local enhanced services to meet identified health needs.
	Although we do not hold details centrally on the number of pharmacists planning to offer health checks or the numbers of such checks, we have developed an assurance framework for PCTs to use in monitoring pharmacy's implementation of new contractual requirements, and also strategic tests for strategic health authorities to monitor how PCTs are using the new framework to deliver key health priorities and objectives locally.

Community Hospitals (Wiltshire)

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to monitor proposals to close inpatient beds in community hospitals in Wiltshire.

Caroline Flint: The Department does not monitor proposals to close inpatient beds. Changes to services are the responsibility of the local national health service as they are best placed to make decisions about how to provide health services to people in the local community.

Departmental Costs

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) salary bill was and (b) administrative costs were for her Department in (i) each region and (ii) London in 200405.

Jane Kennedy: The Department operates in England only. The Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper (Cm 6639) gives the provisional 200405 departmental administration costs outturn for England, and the Departmental Report 2005 (Cm 6524), figure 8.1, contains estimated 200405 pay bill outturn.
	Information for each region of the United Kingdom, or London, is not available.

Departmental Expenditure

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Department and its agencies have spent on (a) the design and production of new logos and (b) employing external (i) public relations and (ii) graphic design agencies in each year since 2000, broken down by project.

Jane Kennedy: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total value is of (a) catering and (b) entertainment contracts let by her Department; and what value of such contracts has been let in each nation and region of the UK, including London.

Jane Kennedy: The Department has a catering contract with Quadrant for restaurant, hospitality and vending services. The overall value of contract for the year 200405 was 1.2 million. The catering contract covers the Department of Health's London Estate that covers three main sites for restaurant facilities and hospitality services. Hospitality services are extended to some of our minor sites. The contract is run at nil subsidy and is therefore at no direct cost to the Department.
	The Department spent 592,000 during 200405 on entertainment.

Departmental Guidance (Evidence/Documentary Access)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department giving evidence to the (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) National Assembly for Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document she gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to the (1) Scottish Parliament, (2) National Assembly for Wales, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons select committees.

Jane Kennedy: Requests for the attendance of Ministers or officials to give evidence to the devolved legislatures, and for the provision of information to the assemblies, will be considered on a case by case basis. This consideration will reflect: the principles set out in the Cabinet Office guidance Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees (July 2005); the policy outlined in the Department for Constitutional Affairs' Devolution Guidance Note number 12 Attendance of UK Ministers and Officials at Committees of the devolved legislatures, and the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act. The principles underlying the provision of information to House of Commons Select Committees are set out in Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees, particularly sections 4B and 4C.

Health Act 1999

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged (a) 18 to 24, (b) 25 to 30, (c) 31 to 40 and (d) over 40 years have been prosecuted under the Health Act 1999 for wrongful claims for free prescriptions in (i) Southend, (ii) Essex, (iii) Hertfordshire and (iv) England in each year since 2000.

Jane Kennedy: Since August 2001, a penalty charge system has been in place in respect of those falsely claiming exemption to national health service pharmaceutical charges. Since its introduction, more than 160,000 penalty notices have been issued. The total amount recovered to date is over 2,950,000. These figures are national and are not broken down into the age categories and regions as requested. Penalties are sanctioned through the civil courts as criminal prosecution of offenders would not be a cost-effective way of dealing with such high volume but low-value frauds.
	The introduction of the penalty charge system has enabled the money recovered to be re-invested in providing better patient care within the NHS.

Health Bill

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials have had with the World Health Organisation about part I of the Health Bill; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Since publication of the Health Bill on 27 October 2005 there have been no formal discussions with the World Health Organisation (WHO) of part I of the Bill at either ministerial level or official level.
	However, the content of the Bill is informed by the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classification of second-hand smoke as a human carcinogen in 2002. The United Kingdom has also, along with some 114 other countries, ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The WHO FCTC states:
	Recognising that scientific evidence has unequivocally established that tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke cause death, disease and disability.

Influenza Vaccine

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the British Medical Association on whether its members have been prescribing influenza vaccinations to the 'worried well'.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 28 November 2005
	The Secretary of State for Health, special advisers and officials have had several conversations with representatives of the British Medical Association about seasonal flu vaccination. We are working together to ensure that all those in the at risk groups who want to be vaccinated, will be.

Mental Capacity Advocate Service

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the result of the consultation was on the proposed independent mental capacity advocate service; and what pilot projects are planned ahead of its introduction.

Rosie Winterton: We are in the process of analysing the responses to the consultation on the independent mental capacity advocate (IMCA) service which ended on 30 September. We received 174 written responses to the consultation. In addition, some 450 people attended regional road shows to put forward their views on the consultation in a more informal way.
	We want to look at the detail of the arguments made in the consultation process to gauge public opinion before deciding how to proceed, in particular about how the regulation making powers on the IMCA should be used and on the operation and implementation of the service. The aim will be to keep statutory regulation to the minimum. The Government will publish the results of the consultation.
	As part of the development work for the IMCA service we are setting up some IMCA pilots to help identify the practical issues involved in implementing it.
	The objective of the Independent Mental Capacity Act (IMCA) pilots is to test how this new service will work, in advance of it becoming a national requirement in April 2007. The pilots will test different ways of setting up this servicefor example with full-time IMCA advocates and with sessional advocates. They will test systems for recording, referral and for monitoring. The outcome will be good practice guidance which will be useful both for the commissioners of this service when it becomes a national requirement and also for the future IMCA advocacy providers, many of whom may be small and will benefit from access to information about good practice in other advocacy services.
	The budget for the pilots is 500,000. The pilots will take place in Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Croydon, Dorset, Hertfordshire, Merseyside, Newcastle, and Southwark. The pilots will be evaluated by an external researcher who will work with the advocacy organisations to develop protocols such as monitoring systems and reflective diaries.

NHS Computers

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether she plans to replace the current stock of NHS computer (a) keyboards, (b) mice and (c) keyboard readers with washable versions;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of (a) the role of (i) computer mice, (ii) keyboards and (iii) keyboard readers in the spread of MRSA in hospitals and (b) the contribution which could be made by washable versions of each to its prevention;
	(3)  what guidance is given to NHS staff on the sterilisation of computer (a) keyboards, (b) mice and (c) keyboard readers.

Jane Kennedy: The supply of computer equipment is a local responsibility.
	Computer keyboards and other equipment can become contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria capable of causing infections and regular cleaning is recommended by infection control experts. Regular cleaning will reduce the risk of infection from these sources, but as they may become contaminated between cleaning episodes it is essential that staff clean their hands before touching patients. This is why we have the national cleanyourhands campaign.

Obesity

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rates of (a) overweight and (b) obesity have been among (i) children under 11 years, (ii) children aged between 11 and 18 years and (iii) adults in each year since 1997.

Caroline Flint: The available information is shown in the tables.
	
		Table 1: Rates for overweight and obesity for children aged 2 to 101Trends in overweight and obesity prevalence, by survey year (19952003) and sex Aged 2 to 10 with valid BMI Percentage
		
			  Survey year 
			 BMI status 1995 1996 1997 1998 19992000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Males 
			 Obese 9.6 11 11.1 10 14.3 13.5 15.2 14.9 
			 Overweight including obese 22.5 24.8 24.3 22.6 28.1 29.1 28.1 29.6 
			  
			 Females 
			 Obese 10.3 10.2 10.7 9.8 12.4 12.7 15.8 12.5 
			 Overweight including obese 22.9 21.2 22.6 20.7 25 26.7 28.9 25.9 
			  
			 Bases (weighted) 
			 Males 1,261 1,418 2,007 1,469 1,204 1,035 2,364 876 
			 Females 1,266 1,365 2,082 1,365 1,152 1,094 2,290 897 
			  
			 Bases (unweighted) 
			 Males 1,113 1,234 2,159 1,307 1,145 913 2,036 864 
			 Females 1,114 1,178 2,222 1,217 1,072 980 1,948 869 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures based on UK National BMI percentile classification.
	Source:
	Obesity among children under 11
	Department of Health, Health and Social Care Information Centre
	Produced by: National Centre for Social Research, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Royal Free and University College Medical School.
	Prepared for the Department of Health and the Health and Social Care Information Centre.
	
		Table 2: Rates for overweight and obesity for children aged 1115Overweight and obesity prevalence trends from 1995 to 2003 (National BMI percentiles classification), by age and sex.Aged 1115 with a valid BMI measurement Percentage
		
			 BMI status 1995 1996 1997 1998 19992000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Males aged 1115 
			 Overweight 13.6 15.2 12.4 14.2 11.8 15.2 14 13 
			 Obese 12.3 13.1 15.2 15.3 18.1 16.8 19.1 19 
			 Overweight including obese 25.9 28.4 27.6 29.5 29.8 32 33.1 32 
			 Bases (weighted) 
			 Male 1115 658 714 1056 645 650 579 1381 533 
			 Bases (unweighted) 
			 Male 1115 584 640 1116 569 576 577 1214 553 
			  
			 Females Aged 1115 
			 Overweight 13.9 13.3 14.7 14.7 13.7 18.1 14.9 14 
			 Obese 14.4 15 15.5 17.3 16.3 17.4 18.7 19 
			 Overweight including obese 28.3 28.3 30.2 32.0 29.9 35.6 33.7 34 
			  
			 Bases (weighted) 
			 Females 1115) 635 649 987 656 640 551 1346 547 
			 Bases (unweighted) 
			 Females 1115) 558 580 1,066 575 563 552 1,192 547 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures based on UK National BMI percentile classification.
	Source:
	Health Survey for England 2002  2003
	
		Table 3. Rates of overweight and obesity for adultsAdults aged 16 and over Percentage
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 (unweighted) 2003 (weighted) 
		
		
			 Men 
			 BMI over 25 (overweight, including obese) 62.2 62.8 62.5 65.5 67.7 65.5 67.4 65.4 
			 BMI over 30 (obese) 17 17.3 18.7 21 21 22.1 22.9 22.2 
			 BMI over 40 (morbidly obese) 0.8 0.6 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.8 1 1 
			 Mean BMI 26.5 26.5 26.5 26.8 27 26.9 27.1 26.9 
			 Standard error of the mean 0.07 0.05 0.07 0.08 0.05 0.08 0.06 0.06 
			  
			 Women 
			 BMI over 25 (overweight, including obese) 52.5 53.3 53.9 55.1 56.4 56.5 56.8 55.5 
			 BMI over 30 (obese) 19.7 21.2 21.1 21.4 23.5 22.8 23.4 2.3 
			 BMI over 40 (morbidly obese) 23 1.9 1.9 2.3 2.5 2.6 2.9 2.9 
			 Mean BMI 26.2 26.4 26.4 26.6 26.7 26.7 26.8 26.7 
			 Standard error of the mean 0.08 0.06 0.09 0.09 0.06 0.09 0.07 0.07 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The Health Survey for England classifies adults as those aged 16 and over.
	2. Weighted data provide the best estimate for 2003. Unweighted data for 2003 are provided for consistency with previous years which were also unweighted.
	Source:
	Health Survey for England 2003

Parliamentary Questions

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will reply to questions (a) 26127 and (b) 26193 tabled on 3 November by the hon. Member for Broxbourne.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave on 24 November 2005, Official Report, column 2269W, and on 12 December 2005, Official Report, columns 17991800W.

Patient Forums

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department issues to patient and public involvement forums on working with local authority overview and scrutiny committees.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 14 December 2005
	In June 2005, the Centre for Public Scrutiny published Health overview and scrutiny committees and patient and public involvement forums: working togethera practical guide in response to a request from the Department.
	A copy of this guide has been placed in the Library.

Primary Care Trusts

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have to change the role and structure of primary care trusts.

Liam Byrne: As set out in Commissioning a Patient Led NHS, primary care trusts (PCTs) will be required to strengthen their commissioning function. They will need to ensure access and choice to a range of high quality health services and to ensure that the Government's commitments to health, reducing health inequalities and health services are delivered for local people. They will also be required to manage contracts on behalf of their practices and public, engage with local people and other local service providers to ensure patients' views are properly heard, and to be responsible for emergency planning.
	The policy, in relation to service-provision, is that this will be a matter for PCTs to determine locally. Any move away from direct provision of services will be a decision for the local national health service within the framework set out in the forthcoming White Paper and after local consultation, including staff.

Pro-choice

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the letter she sent to the pro-choice meeting chaired by Baroness Gould on 26 October represents Government policy; if she will place a copy of the letter in the Library; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions she had with (a) ministerial colleagues and (b) officials in her Department before sending her letter to the pro-choice meeting chaired by Baroness Gould on 26 October; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  for what reasons she sent a letter to the pro-choice meeting chaired by Baroness Gould on 26 October; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The letter was sent in response to an invitation to attend the abortion rights public meeting Defend the limitDefend a woman's right to choose, held at the House of Lords on 26 October 2005. The letter, which was sent by a departmental official on 14 October 2005, stated
	Unfortunately, due to pressure on her diary the Secretary of State is unable to attend. She has asked me to pass on her apologies.

Psychiatry (Waiting Times)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was to see a psychiatrist in Coventry South in the last 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the estimated average waiting time from general practitioner written referral to first outpatient appointment with a consultant psychiatrist within Coventry primary care trust (PCT) between September 2004 to September 2005 (provider based).
	
		
			  Median wait (weeks) 
		
		
			 September 2004 5.9 
			 December 2004 4.5 
			 March 2005 6.0 
			 June 2005 5.4 
			 September 2005 6.3 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Due to small numbers, the calculation of the median wait is prone to fluctuation at PCT and strategic health authority level. Care should be taken when interpreting these figures.
	2. Waiting times apply to consultant-led appointments only. Services in many areas are now run by multi-disciplinary teams.
	Source:
	Department of Health form QM08

Rural Pharmacies

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to assist and secure the future of rural pharmacies.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 24 October 2005, Official Report, column 18889W.

Smoking

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the proportion of smokers are aged (a) 16 and under, (b) 17 to 24, (c) 25 to 30, (d) 31 to 40 and (e) over 40 years, broken down by sex; and what the equivalent figures were in (i) 1976, (ii) 1979, (iii) 1983, (iv) 1987, (v) 1992, (vi) 1997 and (vii) 2000.

Caroline Flint: The information is not available in the form requested.
	Estimates of the prevalence of smoking among adults aged 16 and over are obtained from the general household survey. Although the GHS covers Great Britain, the data presented here are for England only.
	Data on smoking among young people are available from a series of surveys of secondary school children in years seven-11, mainly aged 1115.
	The available information is presented in three tables, using the results of the general household survey 1980 to 2003 and Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2004.
	
		Table 1: Prevalence of smoking cigarette among adults aged 17 and over, by age and gender, England, 1992, 2000 and 2003 Percentage/numbers of current cigarette smokers
		
			  1724 2530 3140 Over 40 All adults aged 17 and over 
		
		
			 Men  
			 Unweighted  
			 1992 36 37 31 25 29 
			 Weighted  
			 2000 35 41 33 24 29 
			 2003 34 39 33 23 27 
			   
			 Women  
			 Unweighted  
			 1992 33 34 27 24 27 
			 Weighted  
			 2000 33 33 31 20 25 
			 2003 31 33 28 20 24 
		
	
	Note:
	In 2000, weighting to compensate for non-response was introduced to the GHS. This is described in detail in the 2000 report. The effect of weighting on the smoking data is slight, increasing the estimated overall prevalence by one percentage point.
	Source:
	General Household Survey 1992, 2000 and 2003 (Office for National Statistics)
	
		Table 2: Prevalence of smoking cigarettes among adults aged 16 and over, by age and gender England, 1980 to 2003 Numbers/percentages
		
			  All 1619 2024 2534 3549 5059 60 and over 
		
		
			 Men
			 Unweighted
			 1980 42 33 44 47 45 45 34 
			 1982 37 31 39 40 39 41 32 
			 1984 35 28 39 39 38 38 29 
			 1986 34 30 41 37 37 34 28 
			 1988 32 28 37 37 36 32 25 
			 1990 31 28 39 37 34 27 24 
			 1992 29 29 39 35 31 27 20 
			 1994 28 28 42 34 31 26 17 
			 1996 28 25 43 38 30 27 17 
			 1998 28 30 42 37 32 26 15 
			 Weighted
			 1998 29 30 40 38 33 27 16 
			 2000 29 30 36 39 31 27 16 
			 2001 28 24 39 38 31 25 16 
			 2002 27 22 38 36 29 26 16 
			 2003 27 26 38 37 31 25 15 
			 
			 Women
			 Unweighted
			 1980 36 32 40 43 41 42 24 
			 1982 32 31 39 36 37 38 23 
			 1984 32 31 35 35 35 40 22 
			 1986 31 31 38 35 33 34 22 
			 1988 30 27 37 33 34 33 21 
			 1990 28 33 39 34 32 27 19 
			 1992 27 24 37 32 28 28 19 
			 1994 25 28 38 30 28 26 16 
			 1996 27 32 37 33 30 26 18 
			 1998 26 33 40 33 28 26 16 
			 Weighted
			 1998 26 33 40 32 28 27 16 
			 2000 25 28 35 32 27 26 15 
			 2001 25 31 35 30 27 24 17 
			 2002 25 28 38 33 27 24 14 
			 2003 24 24 34 31 28 22 14 
		
	
	Note:
	The unweighted base for 2003 is of similar size to the unweighted base for earlier years. In 2000, weighting to compensate for non-response was introduced to the GHS. This is described in detail in the 2000 report. The effect of weighting on the smoking data is slight, increasing the estimated overall prevalence by one percentage point.
	Source:
	General Household Survey, 1980 to 2003. Office for National Statistics
	
		Table 3: Prevalence of regular smokers, in school years seven-11 years, by gender, England, 1982 to 2004 Percentage
		
			 Smoking behaviour 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1993 1994 
		
		
			 Boy regular smoker 11 13 7 7 9 9 8 10 
			 Girls regular smoker 11 13 12 9 11 10 11 13 
			 Total regular smoker 11 13 10 8 10 10 10 12 
		
	
	
		
			  1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Boy regular smoker 11 9 8 9 8 9 7 7 
			 Girls regular smoker 15 12 10 12 11 11 11 10 
			 Total regular smoker 13 11 9 10 10 10 9 9 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The survey from which the results are taken from questions secondary pupils years seven to 11.
	2. The majority of pupils questioned are therefore from the ages 1115
	3. A regular smoker is defined as usually smoking at least one cigarette a week
	Source:
	Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2004 (Health and Social Care Information Centre)
	We are not able to give the 'proportion of smokers' but are able to supply the 'prevalence of smoking' for particular years and age ranges.
	Table 1. We have been able to provide prevalence data for ages 1724, 2530, 2140, over 40 and all adults aged 17 and over, for years 1992, 2000 and 2003 using the general household survey. We have been unable to provide data for the above age groups for years 1976, 1979, 1983 and 1987.
	Table 2. As we have been unable to provide all years requested in the PQ, we have included smoking prevalence (based on GHS tables) for a range of other years (1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003). However, this is not readily available in the age groups requested. Instead the data is grouped by those aged 1619, 2024, 2534, 3549, 5059, 60 and over and all ages 16 and over.
	We have not included adult data prior to 1980 as this is only available at Great Britain level and not for England.
	Table 3. The PQ asks for data on those aged under 16. The closest smoking prevalence data for children we are able to provide is for pupils in school years seven-11, where the majority of students will be aged 1115. However, the only exact year that we can provide data for is 1992 and 2000. Nonetheless, we have provided prevalence figures in close proximity to the years requested (1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004).
	The first survey of secondary school children was conducted in 1982, hence the absence of earlier prevalence data.

Smoking

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials had with (i) Action on Smoking and Health and (ii) FOREST about part I of the Health Bill; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Since publication of the Health Bill on 27 October 2005 there have been no formal discussions with Action on Smoking and Health or FOREST at either ministerial level or official level.
	However, both organisations responded to the public consultation on the smokefree elements of the Bill, which was held between 20 June and 5 September 2005.
	An analysis has been published and is available in the Library.

Staff Uniforms

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to reduce the laundry turn-around time at hospitals and the risks of cross infection in homes and hospitals caused by hospital staff laundering uniforms at home.

Jane Kennedy: National health service trusts management are required to adopt procedures that ensure that patients and staff are not put at risk of infection from used and infected linen. It is also their responsibility to establish with their laundry provider appropriate performance measures.
	The decision as to whether nurses' uniforms are laundered through the hospital laundry services, or whether nurses wash their uniforms themselves, is made locally.
	Advice and guidance on hospital laundry arrangements was issued to NHS trusts in Health Service Guidance HSG (95)18. This sets out the arrangements for the handling and laundering of linen and states the importance of securing the disinfection of used and infected linen, including uniforms. This guidance is being reviewed to ensure it reflects current research evidence.

Strategic Health Authorities

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what capital allocations she expects to be made available to the Shropshire and Staffordshire strategic health authority over the next three years; and for what purpose each allocation will be made.

Rosie Winterton: No decisions have yet been made on national health service capital allocations for 200607 onwards.
	The last round of capital allocations was announced in January 2003, covering 200304, 200405 and 200506.

Temporary Staff

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will break down the number of (a) agency staff, (b) contractors and (c) consultants currently employed within the Department by (i) pay band and (ii) length of contract.

Jane Kennedy: The information is not collected centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

X-ray Equipment

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of NHS X-ray equipment was (a) condemned and (b) repaired in 200405.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not held centrally.

Examination Results

Edward Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) A-level and (b) GCSE results for each school in Doncaster North constituency were in each year since 1995; and what the average results were for all schools in (i) Doncaster North, (ii) Yorkshire and (iii) England.

Jacqui Smith: The data requested up to 2004 can be found in the following tables, 2005 data has not been provided as school and constituency level data is not yet available.
	
		Percentage of 15 year old pupils achieving 5+ A*-C at GCSE or equivalent in schools 19962004
		
			  1995 1996 1997(7) 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004(8) 
		
		
			 North Doncaster technology college 18 31 29 25 24 15 25 40 28 47 
			 Thorne trammar 19 25 27 22 30 29 31 34 30 33 
			 Don Valley high school 21 26 20 22 17 21 24 30 34 35 
			 Campsmount technology college 23 24 19 29 32 33 33 22 26 21 
			 North Doncaster 20.8 26.2 22.7 24.2 25.3 25.7 28.5 30.0 29.2 32.6 
			 Yorkshire  37.3 38.2 38.9 40.6 42.3 43.3 44.5 45.9 47.5 
			 England 43.5 44.5 45.1 46.3 47.9 49.2 50.0 51.6 52.9 53.7 
		
	
	(7) Percentages from 1996/97 include GNVQ equivalencies.
	(8) Percentages for 2003/04 include GCSE and Equivalents which have been approved for pre-16 use.
	Notes:
	1. Regional figures exclude independent schools. England figures include all schools.
	2. Figures for individual schools are published in the secondary school achievement and attainment tables as integer percentages, and the overall England figure is published to one decimal place. Regional figures are conventionally quoted to one decimal place.
	3. Prior to 2002 North Doncaster technology college was known as Adwick school. Prior to 2004 Campsmount technology college was known as Campsmount school.
	4. 1995 figures for Yorkshire are not available because some schools in Yorkshire were under the control of the then Humberside local education authority which was reorganised in 1996.
	
		Average point score per candidate at A level or equivalent 19952004
		
			  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 North Doncaster technology college 15.4 19.5 14.3 13.7 11.9 11.3 10.1 160.9 152.3 157.8 
			 Thorne grammar 16.3 11.8 11.9 11.6 15.3 15.9 14.6 213.0 170.0 160.9 
			 Don Valley high school 9.3 13.2 12.8 15.4 10.4 14.6 12.8 151.2 190.9 196.3 
			 Campsmount technology college 9.8 7.5 10.0 10.2 8.0 14.8 16.0 174.0 247.6 205.7 
			 North Doncaster 13.3 14.5 12.7 13.0 11.6 13.8 13.1 172.2 185.6 182.3 
			 Yorkshire  17.3 17.4 16.2 16.8 16.9 16.7 244.7 250.5 262.3 
			 England 16.0 16.8 17.3 16.7 17.1 17.3 17.4 254.7 258.9 269.2 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Prior to 2002 North Doncaster technology college was known as Adwick school.
	2. Prior to 2004 Campsmount technology college was known as Campsmount school.
	3. 1995 figures for Yorkshire are not available because some schools in Yorkshire were under the control of the then Humberside local education authority which was reorganised in 1996.
	Point score calculations
	1995/961999/2000: The average GCE A/AS point score per student entered for the equivalent of two or more A/AS examinations (figures from 1997/98 include Advanced GNVQs), with a point score based on the following tariff:
	
		Table 1
		
			 GCE A level GCE AS level Advanced GNVQ 
			 Grade Points Grade Points Grade Points 
		
		
			 A 10 A 10 Distinction 18 
			 B 8 B 8   
			 C 6 C 6 Merit 12 
			 D 4 D 4   
			 E 2 E 2 Pass 6 
		
	
	2000/01: The average point score per student entered for at least one A level or Advanced GNVQ, based on the points tariff shown in Table 1.
	2001/02: The average GCE/VCE A/AS point score per student. The point score for each grade are as follows (based on the UCAS points tariff).
	
		Table 2
		
			 GCE/VCE AS level GCE VCE A level VCE Double Award Points 
		
		
			   AA 240 
			   AB 220 
			   BB 200 
			   BC 180 
			   CC 160 
			   CD 140 
			  A DD 120 
			  B DE 100 
			  C EE 80 
			 A D  60 
			 B   50 
			 C E  40 
			 D   30 
			 E   20 
		
	
	2002/032004/05: The average GCE/VCE A/AS and key skills point score per candidate. Points are as in Table 2 but with a key skill at Level 3 pass equivalent to 20 points.

Learning and Skills Council

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 124W, on Learning and Skills Council, whether further savings means savings within the projected administration budgets for 200607 and 200708; and in what circumstances these savings (i) would and (ii) would not be released to the sector.

Bill Rammell: The LSC is currently consulting on the detail of its restructuring exercise which will result in savings in administration costs. I expect that these savings will start to become available from 200708. Once the consultation is completed my department and the LSC will agree where these savings should be directed to meet our priorities and a full profile for the release of savings.

Literacy Teaching

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whom she has asked to carry out the review of the framework for teaching literacy; which experts have been invited to submit evidence to this review; how many responses she has received to the Department's consultation on the review; and whether the recommendations of the Rose review will be adopted by the framework for teaching literacy.

Jacqui Smith: The Primary National Strategy has been asked to renew and update its framework for the teaching of literacy.
	A period of informal consultation is currently under way. Discussions are being held with consultancy groups drawn from national samples of head teachers, teachers, local authority representatives, subject and professional organisations and higher education institutions. A consultation forum has been set up on the DfES website. To date, well over 100 contributors have taken part in consultancy group discussions and the website consultation forum has had 14 contributions posted on it, some of which are from local authorities feeding back comments from their meetings with local teachers.
	The Strategy will continue to hold discussions with experts across the English community to elicit their views on proposed content and structure of the revised framework and will post documentation on the website for wider comment. After Easter 2006, a draft revised framework will be published for more formal consultation. The Secretary of State made clear when she announced the Rose review and the renewal of the literacy framework in June 2005 that the findings of the Rose review would inform the development of the revised framework.

School Meals

Stephen Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools had more than 20 per cent. of pupils entitled to free school meals in the last year for which figures are available; and what this represents as a percentage of the total number of schools in each sector.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Maintained primary and secondary schools(10): number of schools with 21 per cent. or more of pupils known to be eligible for free school mealsJanuary 2005England
		
			  Maintained primary Maintained secondary 
		
		
			 Total number of schools 17,642 3,385 
			
			 Schools with 21 per cent. or more of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals(11) 
			 Number of schools 5,018 844 
			 As a percentage of all schools 28 25 
		
	
	(10) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(11) Based on percentages rounded to the nearest whole number.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

School Standards and Framework Act

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the operation of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

Jacqui Smith: The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 has had a very significant impact. In 1997, a third of children left primary schools without having mastered the basics in English and maths. Now three-quarters achieve in maths and even more in English. Many 5 to 7-year-olds were in classes of more than 30. That experience is a thing of the past.
	There have been sustained and substantial improvements in attainment at 14,16 and 18. There are many fewer failing schools. In 1998, 616 secondary schools secured 5 A*-Cs at GCSE for fewer than 25 per cent. of their pupils. Now that figure is 131. These achievements are important but we must now go further. Our White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schools For All sets out our plans to do so.

Schools (Fire Risks)

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she plans to publish the findings of the public consultation on building bulletin 100, Designing and Managing Against the Risk of Fires in Schools.

Jacqui Smith: Public consultation on the draft guidance Building Bulletin 100 (BB 100), Designing and Managing Against the Risk of Fire in Schools, concluded on 18 November 2005. An analysis of the responses to the consultation is under way and we expect to publish the findings on the Department's website by 31 March 2006. We anticipate publishing the final, agreed version of BB 100 in the summer of 2006.

Skills for Life

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of (a) the Skills for Life programme and (b) the report of the Adult Learning Inspectorate on the programme.

Phil Hope: The Adult Learning Inspectorate Chief Inspector's report published on 7 December highlighted the need to improve the quality of adult basic skills provision. The Department is already tackling the issues raised through a coherent Quality Initiative which includes teaching training, workforce development and initiatives which will increase the quality of teaching and learning. This will form part of the Quality Improvement Strategy lead by the Quality Improvement Agency. Recent ALI and Ofsted reports have highlighted improvements in quality, eg improved diagnostic assessment and better use of teaching and learning materials. The number of unsatisfactory or weak inspections in further education colleges has halved in the last year. Two colleges have now been awarded beacon status for Skills for Life.
	Since the launch of the strategy in 2001, 3.7 million learners have taken up 7.8 million learning opportunities, and 1,130,000 of these learners went on to achieve at least one first literacy, language or numeracy qualification. We are on track to meet our PSA target to help 2.25 million learners achieve qualifications by 2010.
	A report by the National Audit Office, published December 2004, reported that
	The Department has led the development of lasting improvements in literacy, language and numeracy learning. There are more ways for people to improve their skills and the Department has raised awareness by advertising and working with other Government Departments to reach their clients.

WorldSkills Competition

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations she has received on the UK's bid to host the 2011 WorldSkills Competition.

Phil Hope: The Expression of Interest that we submitted to WorldSkills in September included letters of in principle support from Allan Wilson (Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, Scottish Executive) and Angela Smith MP (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland). We have also received written in principle support from Jane Davidson, the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, Welsh Assembly, as well as letters from Sir Digby Jones, Director General of the CBI, Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC, Sir Roy Gardner, Chief Executive of Centrica plc, and Carry Hawkes, Chair of Edge. Discussions are also on-going with various bodies to provide sponsorship (both in cash and in kind) for the bid as well as the event itself, should we be successful. These include the Corporation of London, City  Guilds, the Honda Institute, and various media organisations.

WorldSkills Competition

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what skills areas she has identified for targeting in the 2011 WorldSkills Competition, should the UK win the bid.

Phil Hope: The UK put forward 18 competitors at the 2005 WorldSkills competition in Helsinki. In 2011 we aim to field a full team comprising over 40 competitors in skills ranging from welding and autobody repair, to beauty therapy and restaurant service. We will use the Japan 2007 and Canada 2009 competitions to build our capacity to do this. By 2011 we hope to have a pool of young people trained to a world class standard from which to select the UK team.
	If our bid for 2011 is successful we will also be able to showcase a number of demonstration skills reflecting our developing skills priorities as the host nation. Discussions about these priorities are still at an early stage, as we have yet to submit our bid, but current ideas include customer service, dance (traditional, modern and ethnic based), IT skills for use in the City, or updated versions of traditional skills (i.e. construction skills). Our final choice will not be made until 200709.

2012 Olympics

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with (a) the Welsh Assembly Government, (b) the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and (c) the Disability Rights Commission on the impact of the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics on Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: I regularly discuss matters affecting Wales both with Cabinet colleagues and with Ministers in the Welsh Assembly Government. This has included the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.
	I have had no discussions on these matters with the Disability Rights Commission (DRC). However, the DRC has been involved in the preparations for the Games through their membership of London 2012's London Disability Organisations Forum.
	The Government are committed to ensuring that the huge economic, sporting and social benefits of the 2012 games are spread across the whole of the UK, and I intend, along with Ministers in the Welsh Assembly Government, to ensure that we in Wales can maximise those benefits.
	The games will provide an outstanding showcase for disabled sportboth in Britain and abroad. The UK was a pioneer in disabled sport, with London hosting the first ever Paralympic games in 1948.

Ancient Woodlands

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the protection of ancient woodlands in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: I meet the First Minister regularly to discuss a range of issues, including forestry matters in Wales.
	Woodlands for Wales, published in 2001, sets out the Assembly Government's strategy for the sustainable management of woodlands in Wales for the next 50 years. The strategy includes commitments on the conservation of trees and woodlands. Specific actions underpinning those commitments in respect of protection of ancient woodlands are set out in the Forestry Commission Wales Corporate Plan for the period 200606200708, a copy of which is on the Assembly Government website.
	In July this year, the Assembly Government announced a 2.3 million project to restore ancient woodlands in Wales.

Disability

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the initial activity undertaken by his Department in response to those recommendations in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit Report, Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People, where lead responsibility was assigned to all Government Departments.

Peter Hain: The Strategy Unit's report Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People focuses on four key aspects of disabled people's life chances and includes a number of recommendations for all Government Departments. Many of the recommendations relate to services which are the responsibility of the National Assembly in Wales. In exercising its functions, the Assembly is under a statutory duty to have due regard to the principle of equality of opportunity for all people.
	While my Department is not directly responsible for the delivery of services, we have recently undertaken a number of measures to improve accessibility for disabled employees and visitors.

Anti-poverty Strategy

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2005, Official Report, column 1974W, on the anti-poverty strategy, on what date the Anti-Poverty Strategy for Northern Ireland will be published.

Angela Smith: In Priorities and Budget 200608, published in December 2005, Government identify the resources they are allocating with the aim of reducing poverty and tackling social need in Northern Ireland. This includes increased spending in health and education budgets along with a significant allocation to two new ring-fenced funds which focus respectively on giving children and young people the best possible start in life and investing in skills and reducing economic inactivity.
	Government will publish further details of their priorities for tackling poverty and social exclusion in the new year, alongside further details of how these new ring-fenced funds will be allocated.

Civil Servants

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average sickness absence rate was among civil servants for each Government Department in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years; and what percentage of the sick leave was for periods of five working days or less.

Angela Smith: Sick absence statistics for the Northern Ireland Departments are analysed by financial year as opposed to calendar year. The information sought is readily available for the 11 Departments of the NI Administration and their agencies for the period 19992000 to 200405. Published statistics for Northern Ireland Departments for the financial years 200001 to 200405 are accessible on the Department's website at www.dfpni.gov.uk/publications.
	The following tables detail:
	1. The average number of days lost during the period 200001 to 200405 for the 11 Departments of the NI Administration and their agencies.
	2. The percentage of the sick leave attributable to periods of five working days or less.
	
		Table 1
		
			 Department 200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 DSD 18.6 18.4 19.1 19.7 19.4 
			 DEL 17.9 19.0 18.7 17.7 14.7 
			 DFP 12.8 13.4 13.6 14.3 13.7 
			 DE 15.7 13.2 12.5 11.7 12.8 
			 DOE 14.6 14.1 14.5 13.4 12.0 
			 DARD 12.2 11.8 13.4 12.4 11.5 
			 DCAL 14.7 14.6 13.8 15.1 11.0 
			 DRD 12.2 11.4 10.7 12.0 10.2 
			 DETI 12.4 13.0 12.7 11.8 9.9 
			 DHSSPS 12.9 14.6 13.2 12.3 9.5 
			 OFMDFM 9.7 11.6 12.2 12.6 8.6 
			 Total 14.0 14.1 14.0 15.5 14.2 
		
	
	
		Table 2
		
			 Department 200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 DSD 16.6 16.5 16.5 16.3 14.3 
			 DEL 21.6 20.4 18.6 16.6 14.8 
			 DFP 25.0 20.6 23.0 20.2 17.9 
			 DE 19.7 21.3 21.6 21.8 18.2 
			 DOE 23.8 24.5 25.4 26.4 22.5 
			 DARD 20.8 21.9 22.1 21.1 17.5 
			 DCAL 29.3 32.5 32.1 33.2 32.6 
			 DRD 23.7 25.2 26.8 22.5 17.2 
			 DETI 26.6 25.3 26.8 26.6 24.5 
			 DHSSPS 24.5 22.8 25.1 24.6 24.0 
			 OFMDFM 28.5 22.6 23.8 24.0 26.8 
			 Total 20.6 20.2 20.6 19.7 17.0 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Staff from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Complaints and the Planning Appeals Commission are included in the DFP figures.
	2. Staff from HSENI and OFREG are included in the DETI figures.

Work Force Statistics

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the composition of the monitored full-time work force (11+) was in (a) 1994 and (b) 2004, broken down by religious designation; and if he will publish this information.

Angela Smith: The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has provided the following information in relation to the composition of the monitored Northern Ireland full-time work force:
	
		Table 1: Composition of the monitored Northern Ireland full-time work force by sex1994
		
			  Protestant Roman Catholic Non-determined Total 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Male 131,207 62.4 69,739 33.1 9,486 4.5 210,432 54.3 
			   (65.3)  (34.7) 
			  
			 Female 101,460 57.2 68,563 38.7 7,312 4.1 177,335 45.7 
			   (59.7)  (40.3) 
			  
			 Total 232,667 60.0 138,302 35.7 16,798 4.3 387,767 100 
			   (62.7)  (37.3) 
		
	
	Note:
	Includes the public and private sector full-time work forces combined.
	Source:
	Fair Employment Commission (1995). Monitoring Report No. 5: A profile of the Northern Ireland Workforce, 1994.
	
		Table 2: Composition of the monitored Northern Ireland full-time work force by sex2004
		
			  Protestant Roman Catholic Non-determined Total 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Male 125,427 57.6 80,171 36.8 12,168 5.6 217,766 52.6 
			   (61.0)  (39.0) 
			  
			 Female 104,534 53.3 82,064 41.9 9,445 4.8 196,043 47.4 
			   (56.0)  (44.0) 
			  
			 Total 229,961 55.6 162,235 39.2 21,613 5.2 413,809 100.0 
			   (58.6)  (41.4) 
		
	
	Note:
	Includes the public and private sector full-time work forces combined.
	Source:
	Equality Commission (2005). Monitoring Report No. 15: A profile of the Northern Ireland Workforce, 2004.
	Notes:
	1. Tables 1 and 2 are directly comparable.
	2. In both years, the data refer to the combined public and private sector work forces.
	3. The data include all public bodies and those private concerns with 11 or more employees.
	4. Copies of both publications, from which these tables were extracted, will be placed in the Library.

Broadcasting (Illegal Jamming)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) any defence communications systems were obstructed and (b) the operational effectiveness of such systems was (i) diminished and (ii) impaired as a consequence of the jamming from within Libya of the Telstar 12 and Hotbird communication satellites at any time over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: No.

Helicopters

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total spending on battlefield helicopters was in each of the last five years.

Adam Ingram: The approximate total costs for the delivery and maintenance of Battlefield Helicopters in the financial years 200001 to 200405 are contained in the following table:
	
		Total battlefield helicopter costs  million
		
			  Support costs Capital costs Total 
		
		
			 200001 490 860 1,350 
			 200102 570 620 1,190 
			 200203 680 400 1,080 
			 200304 760 240 1,000 
			 200405 820 120 9,40 
		
	
	The high capital costs in the first half of the period shown reflect the procurement of new Apache Attack and Merlin helicopters.

Porton Down

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what investigation there has been as to what manuals, documents, other materials and information Dr. Wouter Basson of South Africa was given during and subsequent to his visit to Porton Down in 1985; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  who authorised the visit of Dr. Wouter Basson of South Africa to Porton Down in 1985; for what purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 23 November 2005
	The Ministry of Defence holds no record of any visit by Dr. Wouter Basson to Porton Down at any time in 1985.

Sonic Passive Defence Systems

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what frequency sonic passive defence systems on cruise ships use.

Stephen Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.
	These devices are capable of emitting an extremely irritating noise at a frequency of around 2kHz.

Territorial Army

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) establishment and (b) actual strength is of the Territorial Army, broken down by regiment.

Don Touhig: The total establishment of the Territorial Army (TA) is currently 41,610. Establishment figures are currently not available broken down by regiment. As at 1 November 2005, the overall strength of the TA was some 36,940 (this figure includes mobilized TA personnel, the officer training corps but excludes full-time reserve service and non-regular permanent staff). I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) on 1 November 2005, Official Report, column 918W, which offers the most recent strengths by individual regiments and corps.

Freedom of Information Act

Edward Garnier: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many requests for information have been received by her Department since the Freedom of Information Act 2000 came into force; how many requests have had their deadline extended beyond 20 working days to allow consideration of where the public interest lies; and how many requests have been refused on public interest grounds.

Harriet Harman: The DCA publishes quarterly bulletins on the performance of central Government under the FOIA. The third of these reports, covering the period of 1 July to 30 September, was published on 15 December 2005, Official Report, 161WS, and has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and on the DCA's website.
	From 1 January to 30 September DCA has received 495 FOI requests. 61 of these requests have had the deadline extended beyond the statutory deadline of 20 working days to allow consideration of where the public interest lies. However, this figure includes 15 requests where the decision to extend on public interest grounds was taken after the 20 day statutory deadline had passed. This accounts for the inconsistency with the cumulative figure published in DCA's quarterly bulletins. A total of 83 requests have been refused on public interest grounds.

Legal Aid

Susan Kramer: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  if she will list the contracted suppliers of legal aid funded services in the boroughs of (a) Richmond-upon-Thames and (b) Kingston-upon-Thames in relation to (i) housing, (ii) social welfare, (iii) mental health, (iv) employment, (v) family issues, (vi) criminal defence and (vii) immigration;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2005, Official Report, columns 12930W, on legal aid, how many of the suppliers in each category are solicitors' firms; and how many solicitors' firms in each borough undertake legal aid work in immigration.

Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) contracts with suppliers throughout England and Wales to provide a range of legal and advice services across different categories of law. The LSC contracts with solicitors' firms and not for profit organisations.
	The contracted suppliers in the listed categories in Richmond-upon-Thames and Kingston-upon-Thames are as follows:
	Housing
	Antell and Co.
	Conninghams
	Edward Fail Neale and Co.
	Gillman-Smith Lee
	Merrony Wall
	Anthony Stokoe
	Chivers Easton Brown
	Malcolm Johnson and Co.
	Russell-Cooke
	Sheridan and Co.
	Sherwood Wheatley
	Kingston and Richmond Law Centre
	Social Welfare 1
	Antell and Co.
	Conninghams
	Edward Fail Neale and Co.
	Gillman-Smith Lee
	Merrony Wall
	Anthony Stokoe
	Chivers Easton Brown
	Malcolm Johnson and Co.
	Russell-Cooke
	Sheridan and Co.
	Sherwood Wheatley
	Kingston Citizens Advice Bureaux (debt and welfare benefits)
	Mental Health
	Antell and Co.
	Conninghams
	Edward Fail Neale and Co.
	Gillman-Smith Lee
	Merrony Wall
	Anthony Stokoe
	Chivers Easton Brown
	Malcolm Johnson and Co.
	Russell-Cooke
	Sheridan and Co.
	Sherwood Wheatley
	Employment
	Antell and Co.
	Conninghams
	Edward Fail Neale and Co.
	Gillman-Smith Lee
	Merrony Wall
	Anthony Stokoe
	Chivers Easton Brown
	Malcolm Johnson and Co.
	Russell-Cooke
	Sheridan and Co.
	Sherwood Wheatley
	Kingston and Richmond Law Centre
	Family
	Merrony Wall
	Chivers Easton Brown
	Russell-Cooke
	Sherwood Wheatley
	Criminal defence
	Conninghams
	Edward Fail Neale and Co.
	Keppe Shaw and Partners
	Anthony Stokoe
	Maclaverty Cooper Atkins
	Sherwood Wheatley
	Immigration 2
	None
	None
	The contracted suppliers in Richmond and Kingston which are solicitors firms are as follows:
	
		
			  Richmond-upon-Thames Kingston-upon-Thames 
		
		
			 Housing 5 6 
			 Social Welfare(12) 5 6 
			 Mental Health 5 6 
			 Employment 5 6 
			 Family 1 3 
			 Criminal defence 3 3 
			 Immigration(13) 0 0 
		
	
	(12) Social Welfare includes the LSC's contract categories debt, welfare benefits and community care.
	(13) The LSC assesses immigration need for London as a whole rather than by borough.

Legal Aid

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what cases qualify for legal aid; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: Legal aid for civil cases is available to anyone who qualifies, provided it is not outside the scope of the scheme and cases out of scope are defamation, boundary disputes, conveyancing, making wills, trust law, damage to property, cases arising out of company or partnership law or the carrying on of business and personal injury (except clinical negligence and through the Lord Chancellor's direction, claims against public authorities alleging serious wrong doing). Each application is considered on an individual basis and is subject to the statutory tests of the applicant's means and the merits of the case.
	To qualify for legal aid representation in criminal cases, the applicant needs to demonstrate that he or she meets the Interests of Justice test. A number of factors are considered in assessing the Interests of Justice in relation to any one individual. This includes whether the applicant, if convicted, is likely to suffer a loss of liberty or livelihood. Under the Criminal Defence Service Bill currently before Parliament, the Government are seeking to ensure that applicants for criminal legal aid representation will in future also be subject to a means test.

Legal Aid

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list the contracted suppliers of legal aid funded services in the London borough of Haringey in relation to (a) housing, (b) social welfare, (c) mental health, (d) employment, (e) family issues, (f) criminal defence and (g) immigration; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) contracts with suppliers throughout England and Wales to provide a range of legal and advice services across different categories of law.
	The contracted suppliers in the listed categories in the London borough of Haringey are as follows:
	Housing
	Fahri Jacob
	Fletcher Dervish and Co
	Mang and Co
	Rahman and Co
	Tayo Arowojolu Solicitors
	Tyrer Roxburgh and Co
	Waran and Company
	Haringey Law Centre
	Social Welfare 1
	Fahri Jacob (debt only)
	Tyrer Roxburgh and Co
	Haringey Citizens Advice Bureau
	Haringey Law Centre
	Mental Health
	Dozie and Co
	Needham Poulier and Partners
	Stuart Miller and Co
	Employment
	Tayo Arowojolu Solicitors
	Family
	Copitch
	Fahri Jacob
	Fairbairn Smith and Co
	Fletcher Dervish and Co
	Joan Vis
	Makanda Bart and Co
	Miller Law Practice
	Porters
	Tyrer Roxburgh and Co
	Vahib and Co
	Wilson and Co
	Windsor and Co
	Criminal defence
	A Patrick Keogh
	Attridge Law
	Barant and Co
	Christian Gottfried and Co Solicitors
	Christmas and Sheehan
	Crescent and Co Solicitors
	Dozie and Co
	Elliott P Stern
	Fletcher Dervish and Co
	Hickman and Rose
	Joseph Hill and Co
	Levenes
	Makanda Bart and Co
	Mang and Co
	Michael Carroll and Co
	Needham Poulier and Partners
	Porters
	Rock Solicitors
	Sheikh and Co
	Stuart Miller and Co
	Taylor Nichol
	The Day Partnership
	Toper Hassan and Co
	Vahib and Co
	Wilson and Co
	Immigration
	Antons Solicitors
	Christian Gottfried and Co Solicitors
	Dozie and Co
	Edmunds Solicitors
	Fletcher Dervish and Co
	Howe and Co
	Kothala and Co Solicitors
	Luqmani Thompson and Partners
	Mang and Co
	Rahman and Co
	S C Pelentrides and Co
	Sam and Co Solicitors
	Tayo Arowojolu Solicitors
	Vahib and Co
	Waran and Company
	Wilson and Co
	Haringey Citizens Advice Bureau
	1 Social Welfare includes the LSC's contract categories Debt, Welfare Benefits and Community Care.
	Service providers in Haringey may help people who live outside the area, and people who live in Haringey may visit a service provider in a different area.
	Any person residing in England or Wales can access free quality legal advice and information through Community Legal Service Direct. This service is available direct to the public through a telephone line, website and information leaflets.

Electricity

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much electricity in kilowatt hours was exported from sources in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) each of the English regions and (d) Northern Ireland in 200405; and what percentage was from (i) fossil fuel sources broken down by (A) oil, (B) coal, (C) gas and (D) other, (ii) hydroelectric sources, (iii) nuclear electricity sources, (iv) other types of renewable sources excluding hydro and (v) other electricity sources production.

Malcolm Wicks: The total amount of electricity exported by the UK in 2004 was 2,294,000,000 kWh (2,294 GWh). In the first half of 2005 electricity exports totalled 1,490 GWh.
	Disaggregated data are not available in the form requested.

Electricity

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the electricity (a) production and (b) consumption expressed in annual electricity generated in kilowatt hours was for (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) each of the English regions and (iv) Northern Ireland in 200405; and what percentage was (A) fossil fuel electricity production, broken down by (1) oil, (2) coal, (3) gas and (4) other, (B) hydro electricity production, (C) nuclear electricity production, (D) other types of renewable production excluding hydro and (E) other electricity sources production.

Malcolm Wicks: Electricity production by English region is not available, because data are collected on an aggregated basis by company, who may have power stations in more than one region. However, data on generation of electricity by fuel for all generators in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England are as follows.
	
		2004 GWh
		
			 Fuel source Scotland Wales England(14) Total UK 
		
		
			 Coal 13,054 7,234 111,723 132,011 
			 Oil 2,262 50 2,603 4,915 
			 Gas 11,003 17,100 128,000 156,103 
			 Nuclear 18,013 7,388 54,598 79,999 
			 Hydro 4,546 305 79 4,930 
			 Other renewables 1,308 792 7,717 9,817 
			 Other 786 2,366 4,701 7,853 
			 Total 50,972 35,235 309,421 395,628 
		
	
	(14) Includes Northern Ireland as data cannot be given separately as they disclose commercially confidential information.
	Electricity consumption statistics, for 2004, are as follows:
	
		
			  GWh(15) 
		
		
			 East of England 28,150 
			 East Midlands 24,461 
			 Greater London 40,367 
			 North East 12,708 
			 North West 34,230 
			 South East 41,057 
			 South West 26,707 
			 West Midlands 27,393 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 25,602 
			 Scotland 30,117 
			 Wales 21,738 
			 Northern Ireland 7,558 
			 Unallocated(16) 3,623 
			 UK electricity sales 323,711 
		
	
	(15) To convert to kWh multiply by 1,000,000.
	(16) This is consumption for which there is insufficient information for it to be ascribed to a region.
	The nature of the electricity grid means that you cannot divide consumption of electricity in the English regions according to the fuel used to generate the electricity.

Employment Agencies

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average period has been between inspections of employment agencies under the Employment Agencies Act 1973 in each year since 1975.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is not possible to assess the average period between inspections. Inspections either follow notification of a complaint to the Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate (when a follow up inspection may be carried relatively soon after the initial visit, if breaches of the legislation were identified), or as part of a targeted programme of inspections on the basis of risk.
	Thus, as inspections are not carried out on a routine basis, no meaningful figure is available. The interval between inspections is in fact a factor of complaints received and perceived risk based on the sector(s) and area in which the agency is operating.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many meetings of the EU (a) Committee on the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration on promotion of innovation and participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), (b) Advisory Committee for co-operation in the field of tourism and (c) Committee on conformity assessment and surveillance of the telecommunications market have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved Governments; and if he will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The Horizontal Configuration of the Programme Committee of the FP6 Specific Programme, Integrating and Strengthening the European Research Area, which considers SME issues, has met three times during the UK's presidency of the EU. Officials from DG Research in the European Commission chaired each meeting. Officials from the Office of Science and Technology represented the United Kingdom. No representatives from devolved administrations attended.
	(b) The Advisory Committee for co-operation in the field of tourism met once during the UK presidency. The Commission chaired and the meeting was attended by an official from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. DCMS always consults the devolved administrations on the agenda and papers for meetings of the Tourism Advisory Committee well in advance of the meeting and makes representations on behalf of the devolved administrations when required.
	(c) A meeting of the Telecommunications Conformity Assessment and Market Surveillance Committee took place in July 2005. The Committee was chaired by a representative of the European Commission. Two officials from the Department and one from the Office of Communications attended. No provisions were made for representation of the devolved Governments, as this is not a devolved issue.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many meetings of the EU (a) Committee for the management of generalised preferences, (b) Committee for the harmonisation of credit insurance provisions for transactions with medium and long-term cover and (c) Co-ordinating Group for the Community regime for the control of exports of dual-use goods have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) Committee met in Brussels once during the UK presidency on 28 November 2005. The Committee is chaired by the Commission and the UK was represented by the UK Permanent Representation to the EU. No provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments, as this is not a devolved issue.
	The Committee for the harmonisation of credit insurance provisions for transactions with medium- and long-term cover did not meet during the UK presidency. During the UK presidency, the European Council Working Group on Export Credits met five times in Brussels. Officials from Export Credits Guarantee Department and HM Treasury were present. No provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments, as this is not a devolved issue.
	The Co-ordinating Group for the Community regime for the control of exports of dual-use goods is a Commission chaired Group. The UK is represented by DTI officials. During the UK presidency there were four meetings of the Co-ordination Group, these were held on the following dates: 13 July 2005; 7 September 2005; 3 October 2005; and 9 November 2005. Export control is not a devolved matter therefore devolved governments were not involved in the meetings.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many meetings of the (a) Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of directives on the removal of technical barriers to trade in the sector of colouring matters which may be added to medicinal products, (b) Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of directives on the removal of technical barriers to trade in the sector of cosmetics and (c) Advisory Committee on protection against dumped imports have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of directives on the removal of technical barriers met twice during the UK presidency. This Committee is chaired by the Commission and an official of the Department of Trade and Industry represented the UK. No provision was made for representation of the devolved administrations.
	The Advisory Committee on protection against dumped imports is not recognised under the title given. Matters relating to dumped imports are discussed in the Anti-dumping and Anti-subsidy Committee which met six times during the UK presidency. This Committee is chaired by the Commission and an official of the Department of Trade and Industry represented the UK. Representatives of the Scottish Executive attended the Committee when measures concerning imports of farmed salmon from Norway were discussed.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many meetings of the (a) Advisory Committee on protection against subsidised imports, (b) Advisory Committee on common rules for exports of products and (c) Quota Administration Committee have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Advisory Committee on protection against subsidised imports is not recognised under the title given. Matters relating to subsidised imports are discussed in the Anti-dumping and Anti-subsidy Committee which met six times during the UK presidency. This Committee is chaired by the Commission and an official of the Department of Trade and Industry represented the UK. Representatives of the Scottish Executive attended the Committee when measures concerning imports of farmed salmon from Norway were discussed.
	(b) The Advisory Committee on common rules for exports of products did not meet during the UK presidency.
	(c) The Quota Administration Committee is not recognised under the title given.

EU Domain

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to ensure British businesses have equal access to the new.eu domain name.

Alun Michael: All organisations with an address in the EU can register a domain name under the new.eu top-level domain. Registrations are made on a first come, first served basis, usual practice for domain name registries. There is a dispute resolution procedure in place.
	Under the current sunrise period, which opened on 7 December, organisations can apply for domain names where they can claim some rights (for example, a registered trade mark).
	The registry responsible for operating the .eu top-level domain (EURID) and the European Commission have ensured reasonable awareness of the introduction of .eu internet addresses. Registrarsthe organisations selling domain names have also advertised availability.
	The domain name market is highly competitive, and it would be inappropriate for the UK Government to promote a particular top-level domain.
	It is for organisations and individuals themselves to decide whether to apply for a .eu domain name.

Information and Communication Technology

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will publish the 2005 International Benchmarking Study on the business use of information and communication technology.

Alun Michael: The Department has been reviewing the International Benchmarking Study (IBS) which was sponsored by the DTI until 2004 as a means of monitoring previous targets and has been considering the metrics needed to report against our new National Standard of 'Maintaining the UK's standing as one of the best places in the world for online business'.
	This review has included an analysis of the cost of International Benchmarking Study research and a look at alternative reports/surveys of data such as Eurostat, ONS, Economist Intelligence Unit report and the Network Readiness Index as well as other public/private sources which were not available at the time the International Benchmarking Study was first commissioned. It has been concluded that there are now better ways of monitoring performance and that an International Benchmarking Study (IBS) covering the period 2005 would not offer value for money, and we will give a decision on the data to be produced shortly.

Israel

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what mechanisms exist (a) to monitor whether British firms violate (i) UK and (ii) international law on accepting contracts with Israel which include work in the Occupied Territories and (b) to enforce subsequent penalties.

Ian Pearson: British firms accepting contracts with Israel, which include work in the occupied territories, are not in violation of UK or international law provided they comply with UK export controls.

Mobile Telephones

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of mobile telephones in use in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) each of the English regions and (d) Northern Ireland.

Alun Michael: Ofcom, the independent regulator for the UK communication industries, estimates in its recent report The Communications Market 2005 that there are around 61 million mobile telephones in use in the UK today. The same report details a breakdown of household penetration of mobile telephony across the UK but does not include specific details across the nations for SME's or large corporates. According to the report levels of household usage across each of the nations are: England 77 per cent., Northern Ireland 71 per cent., Scotland 68 per cent., and Wales 72 per cent.

Nuclear Power

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the export of material for corrosion resistant cladding of uranium oxide fuel in nuclear reactors is subject to export controls; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 19 December 2005
	The raw material normally used for this purpose is zirconium alloy containing an especially low amount of hafnium. Low-hafnium zirconium, alloys containing more than 50 per cent. zirconium and zirconium compounds are subject to control for exports to destinations that are not member states of the EU under entry 1C234 of Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) 1334/2000 (the EC Regulation), as amended. Tubes manufactured from low-hafnium zirconium or zirconium alloy, specially designed for cladding uranium oxide fuel, are controlled to all destinations under entry 0A001f of Annexes I and IV to the EC Regulation, as amended.

Pipelines

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the length in kilometers is of pipelines for (a) crude oil, (b) petroleum products, (c) natural gas, (d) liquefied petroleum gas products, (e) refined products and petrochemicals and (f) other oils, gases or chemical products in (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) each of the English regions, (iv) Northern Ireland and (v) the offshore UK sectors subject to (A) Scots law, (B) Northern Irish law and (C) the law of England and Wales.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not held centrally and to compile it would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold. However, the Department does provide information on major UK offshore oil and gas pipelines with details of length, diameter and the material conveyed which can be found on http://www.og.dti.gov.uk/information/bb_updates/appendices/Appendix14.htm The total length of the offshore pipelines listed is 12,396.09 km.
	The most detailed source of information on the main UK onshore gas pipelines should be available from national gridoperator of the National Gas Transmission System.

Regional Development Agencies

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much each regional development agency in England has budgeted for in 200506 (a) in total, (b) for administration and (c) for staffing.

Alun Michael: The 200506 figures for budget, administration and staffing for the nine regional development agencies are set out in the table:
	
		
			  million 
			  Total budget Non-pay admin expenditure Staffing expenditure Total admin expenditure 
		
		
			 Advantage West Midlands 272 5.920 14.080 20.000 
			 East of England development agency 129 2.400 8.800 11.200 
			 East Midlands development agency 156 6.000 9.000 15.000 
			 London development agency 373 10.200 19.300 29.500 
			 North West development agency 382 19.717 19.075 38.792 
			 One North East 240 3.150 19.350 22.500 
			 South East England development agency 157 5.850 12.150 18.000 
			 South West regional development agency 153 7.130 12.643 19.773 
			 Yorkshire Forward 295 5.888 13.622 19.510 
			 Totals 2,157 66.255 128.020 194.275

Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals Directive

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what estimate the European Commission's impact study made of the cost of compliance with the Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals Directive for an average paper mill;
	(2)  what the estimated cost impact on paper mills is of complying with the Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals Directive;
	(3)  whether recycled paper made from waste materials would be subject to the Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals requirements as set out in the UK compromise text;
	(4)  whether, under the proposals in the latest UK presidency compromise text on the Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals Directive, waste paper recyclers would be required to test every batch of waste paper collected;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of the impact of the UK compromise text on the Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals Directive on the recycled paper market in the UK;
	(6)  what assessment he has made of the likely impact on the UK's compliance with the landfill directive if the UK compromise text on the Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals Directive is adopted.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	The European Commission's impact assessment estimated the cost of compliance for an average paper mill to be 7 million per year. This however was based on the Commission's original proposal and the scenario of a notification of a substance in magazine paper as an article.
	The compromise text agreed under the UK presidency at Competitiveness Council on 13 December 2005 amended the notification requirements to only those that contain substances of high concern in quantities of over 1 tonne per year and where they are present over a concentration of 0.1 per cent. weight by weight. This will greatly reduce the burden on the paper industry and avoid having to test every batch of waste paper collected.
	The agreed compromise text also makes it clear that wasteas defined in Council Directive 75/4222/EECis exempt from the REACH regulations. This will minimise any impact on recycling and compliance with the landfill directive.

Research and Development

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2005, Official Report, column 1484W, on research and development, what the total value was of the grants in each region set out in the tables.

Alun Michael: holding answer 19 December 2005
	The total value of grant for research and development awards since the product's introduction in June 2003 is shown in the following tables:
	
		Value of grant for research and development offers 200405 
		
			 Region Micro Research Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 198,926 1,777,014 3,309,986 500,000 
			 East Midlands 20,000 712,592 964,615  
			 London 53,869 1,976,920 1,826,819 841,100 
			 North East 81,598 391,673 2,026,783  
			 North West 100,000 1,098,120 3,468,606 746,930 
			 South East 208,221 751,946 1,906,406 591,286 
			 South West 114,434 242,638 966,481  
			 West Midlands 77,822 594,287 1,749,070  
			 Yorks and Humber 255,348 1,356,361 1,491,602  
		
	
	
		Value of grant for research and development offers 200304 
		
			 Region Micro Research Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 221,379 2,006,965 1,447,837 2,768,860 
			 East Midlands 248,310 408,190 1,374,605  
			 London 255,426 1,606,297 2,277,796  
			 North East 47,375 75,000 586,899  
			 North West 532,877 1,138,618 1,700,813 246,614 
			 South East 245,671 1,374,582 3,293,215 354,420 
			 South West 226,736 263,849 1,070,319 664,750 
			 West Midlands 130,311 179,736 1,863,070  
			 Yorks and Humber 261,840 906,365 1,952,836 433,890 
		
	
	Information for the legacy Smart scheme is shown in the following tables:
	
		Value of Smart offers 200405 
		
			 Region Micro Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 
			 East Midlands 
			 London  45,000   
			 North East  77,063   
			 North West  45,000 90,349  
			 South East 
			 South West 
			 West Midlands 
			 Yorks and Humber 
		
	
	
		Value of Smart offers 200304 
		
			 Region Micro Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 60,425 3,506,083 1,716,201 626,971 
			 East Midlands 39,425 884,865 874,886  
			 London 15,500 1,844,415 1,347,355 350,000 
			 North East 27,455 834,488 712,854  
			 North West 39,686 2,581,296 1,606,636 404,573 
			 South East 173,528 3,732,705 2,977,328 764,123 
			 South West 65,095 360,000 62,894  
			 West Midlands 15,408 335,540 219,353  
			 Yorks and Humber 44,714 1,557,676 1,480,946  
		
	
	
		Value of Smart offers 200203 
		
			 Region Micro Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 118,193 4,566,175 4,698,391 388,690 
			 East Midlands 64,855 1,386,516 2,820,361 661,000 
			 London 177,421 2,106,426 1,534,220 105,000 
			 North East 78,542 1,057,084 382,494  
			 North West 252,419 3,273,547 3,275,242 87,853 
			 South East 220,782 3,168,398 5,159,998 1,336,837 
			 South West 189,068 1,290,119 919,083  
			 West Midlands 5,550 1,083,382 1,302,820  
			 Yorks and Humber 268,488 1,608,495 2,610,216 300,000 
		
	
	
		Value of Smart offers 200102 
		
			 Region Micro Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 44,652 2,076,248 2,732,858  
			 East Midlands 170,171 967,559 802,149  
			 London 65,900 1,112,499 573,429  
			 North East 10,000 613,473 103,080 435,267 
			 North West 135,879 3,119,975 2,568,000  
			 South East 107,438 3,037,073 1,826,697 1,260,924 
			 South West 247,658 852,142 2,027,623 450,000 
			 West Midlands 122,719 1,404,636 1,263,214 300,000 
			 Yorks and Humber 128,223 1,967,778 2,886,899  
		
	
	
		Value of Smart offers 200001
		
			 Region Micro Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East  1,665,938 1,878,378 450,000 
			 East Midlands  1,083,564 841,345  
			 London  305,007 547,319  
			 North East  313,584 228,246  
			 North West  1,623,187 2,179,788  
			 South East  2,006,380 2,801,279 777,945 
			 South West  657,716 966,222  
			 West Midlands  1,457,471 1,028,180  
			 Yorks and Humber  1,138,482 2,158,852  
			 Centrally administered(17) 1,016,651   3,214,000 
		
	
	
		Value of Smart offers 19992000 
		
			 Region Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 1,899,994 1,481,016  
			 East Midlands 758,301 1,355,508  
			 London 453,154 176,374  
			 North East 833,060 847,690  
			 North West 632,374 597,661  
			 South East 1,010,587 1,592,949  
			 South West 939,265 821,632  
			 West Midlands 1,331,092 466,068  
			 Yorks and Humber 1,402,824 1,733,433  
			 Centrally administered(17)   1,034,000 
		
	
	
		Value of Smart offers 199899 
		
			 Region Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 1,210,635 1,643,736  
			 East Midlands 1,114,713 1,473,796  
			 London 538,575 835,044  
			 North East 697,562 509,519  
			 North West 709,192 1,447,840  
			 South East 1,498,416 1,689,782  
			 South West 1,053,572 1,476,502  
			 West Midlands 1,385,675 1,146,625  
			 Yorks and Humber 1,639,249 1,766,283  
			 Centrally administered(17)   1,132,399 
		
	
	(17) Prior to August 2000, Exceptional projects were administered centrally by SBS.

Shopping Fraud

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what awareness campaigns his Department is running about internet shopping fraud during the Christmas shopping period; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: There is already information available from Consumer Direct Online about how to shop online safely and how to avoid being a victim of fraud. Their website address is www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/general/internet.
	The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 protect consumers against payment card fraud including credit cards. The regulations apply to contracts made at a distance including online ones. The card issuer is required to reimburse consumers the full amount in the event of fraudulent use of the consumer's card.
	The Government have been involved in the development of Get Safe Online at www.getsafeonline.org. This project is an alliance of public and private sector, which brings together a number of UK Government Departments and law enforcement organisations with a number of high profile private sector companies to provide a free, public service. This campaign, launched on 27 October, is targeted at micro business and consumers and is primarily aimed at educating internet users in safer and more secure use of computers and the internet.
	The Home Office also created, and maintains the 'e-tailing mini site', which forms part of the crime reduction website. The mini site www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/fraud/preventationadvice provides information to help both businesses and consumers protect themselves specifically when using the internet.

Asset Register

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance his Department has given to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the production of a publicly available asset register.

John Healey: Section 23.3 of Government Accounting 2000 www.government-accounting.gov.uk provides Departments, including the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, with guidance for maintaining asset registers. Government Accounting 2000 does not mention whether Departments should make asset registers publicly available, and it is for each Department to decide.

Asset Register

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance his Department has given to other Government Departments on acceptable time limits for the production of asset registers at the end of each financial year; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Section 23.3 of Government Accounting 2000 www.government-accounting.gov.uk provides Departments with guidance for maintaining asset registers. Departments are expected to maintain and update asset registers continuously. Government Accounting 2000 does not set any specific time limit for the production of asset registers at the end of each financial year.

Cancer/Heart Disease Deaths

Brian Jenkins: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the death rate was for (a) cancer and (b) heart disease in (i) the West Midlands, (ii) Staffordshire, and (iii) Tamworth constituency in the last period for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 20 December 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the death rate was for (a) cancer and (b) heart disease in (i) the West Midlands, (ii) Staffordshire, and (iii) Tamworth constituency in the last period for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (37824)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2004 and these are given in the table below. As population estimates are not available for parliamentary constituencies, figures are provided for the two local authorities, Tamworth and Lichfield, which constitute the constituency requested.
	
		Death rates(18) from cancer and coronary heart disease(19) for West Midlands Government Office Region, the county of Staffordshire(20) and the local authorities of Tamworth and Lichfield(21)2004(22) Death rates per 100,000 population
		
			  Cancer Coronary heart disease 
		
		
			 West Midlands 180 111 
			 Staffordshire 182 111 
			 Tamworth 192 115 
			 Lichfield 194 100 
		
	
	(18) Rates per 100,000 population standardised to the European Standard Population.
	(19) The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10).
	The codes used are listed:
	Cancer (malignant neoplasms)ICD-10 C00-C97
	Coronary heart diseaseICD-10 120125
	Deaths were selected using the original underlying cause.
	(20) The current county of Staffordshire. This excludes Stoke-on-Trent which became a unitary authority in 1997.
	(21) Usual residents of these areas.
	(22) Deaths registered in 2004.

Departmental Consultants

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many secondees there have been to his Department from consultancy firms, including the Big Four accountancy firms, in each of the last three years; and what areas of the Department they have worked in.

John Healey: The number of secondees to HM Treasury from consultancy firms in each of the last three years is as follows:
	
		
			  Secondees 
		
		
			 2003 4 
			 2004 5 
			 2005 5 
		
	
	Seven have been employed in the Finance, Regulation and Industry Directorate; six in the Budget and Public Finance Directorate; and one in the Government financial Management Directorate.

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on advertising by (a) his Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible and (c) each independent statutory body, organisation and body financially sponsored by his Department in each year since May 1997.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) and the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T.C. Davies) on 6 July 2005, Official Report, column 433W. The equivalent information in relation to each of the other bodies could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Fuel Duty

Owen Paterson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been raised in fuel duty in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) diesel and (b) petrol.

John Healey: Historic duty revenue for diesel and petrol can be found on page three of the HM Revenue and Customs Hydrocarbon Oils Bulletin, a copy of which can be found on a HMRC website at: http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bullhydro

Fuel Duty

Greg Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the illegal trade in rebated diesel fuel (a) in each year since 1997 and (b) in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the impact of the UK oils fraud strategy; whether he will publish his findings; what measures he uses to determine the impact of the strategy; how often he reviews the impact of the strategy; and; if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The UK Oils Strategy is assessed annually and estimates of the illicit market share, revenue loss and methodology are published in Measuring Indirect Tax Losses, which is published alongside the PER.
	When the UK Oils Strategy was introduced in 2001 the illicit market was estimated at 6 per cent. (the majority of which is attributed to the illegal trade in rebated diesel fuel) and without the strategic measures the problem would increase by 1 per cent. year on year. The latest estimates indicate that in 2004 illicit market share was 4 per cent. and that HMRC is on track to meet the PSA target of 2 per cent. by 2006.

Media Monitoring

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Department has spent on media monitoring activities in each of the last eight financial years.

John Healey: The Treasury's spending on media monitoring since 200203 is as follows:
	
		
			  000 
			  Amount 
		
		
			 200203 351 
			 200304 391 
			 200405 345 
		
	
	Because of a change in the Treasury's accounting system in 200203, information in relation to the earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Office for National Statistics

Adam Afriyie: To ask Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether a racial impact assessment was carried out before the Office for National Statistics (ONS) changed the mid-year population methodology in 2002; and what consultation was undertaken by ONS before making this change;
	(2)  whether he has plans to change the methodology used to determine (a) inward and (b) international net migration for use in mid-year population estimates.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 20 December 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking (a) whether a racial impact assessment was carried out before making changes to the mid-year population estimates methodology in 2002; and what consultation was undertaken before making these changes and (b) whether any changes are planned to the methodology used to determine migration for use in the mid-year population estimates. I am replying in her absence. (38552  38558)
	No significant changes were made to the methodology used to calculate mid-year population estimates in 2002. The estimates published in 2002 were the mid-2001 population estimates and these were the first mid-year population estimates to use the 2001 Census results. The standard 'cohort component' methodology was used, in that Census data were updated to reflect births, deaths, migration, and ageing of the population between the date of the Census and the mid-year point (approximately 9 weeks). In a Census year the mid-year estimates are rebased on the most recent Census before the method is applied.
	The most recent significant change to the way that the mid-year population estimates are compiled was made in 2000, and applies to the mid-1999 and subsequent estimates. This was in respect of the internal-migration component of the population estimates. This change was widely consulted on before introduction. It was extensively peer-reviewed both within the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and by external academic and local authority experts. The then Liaison Group on Population Statistics (now the Central Local information Partnership (CLIP) Population Subgroup) was also fully consulted on the change. This change, in simplified terms, introduced the use of patient records to allocate migration within (former) health authorities instead of electoral roll information. This was widely thought to be a more reliable method for calculating internal migration. This change was documented in Population Trends 101. No specific racial impact assessment was carried out as part of this methodological change. However, consultation confirmed the recommendation that the methodology should be implemented to improve the quality of population estimates.
	A detailed description of the current methodology used to estimate population and the methodology used in a 'Census year' is published in Making a Population Estimate in England and Wales. This document also describes the principal changes that have been made to the methodology over time. The document is published here:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vInk=575
	ONS is currently undertaking a major project to research improvements to migration and population statistics (IMPS). Some of the major strands included in this project are the estimation of international migration at the national level, the sub-national distribution of international migration, and the estimation of internal migration. Currently ONS has no plans to implement significant changes to the methodology used in the calculation of mid-2005 population estimates as research and evaluation is ongoing. (Mid-2005 population estimates are due to be published in August 2006.) However, this current position is subject to possible change. Before any changes are implemented, they will be carefully researched, evaluated and where possible assessed for impact. Any changes will be introduced in a planned manner and they will be announced in advance, in accordance with the National Statistics Code of Practice.
	In response to the Race Relations Act 2000, ONS has published a Race Equality Scheme which is published on the National Statistics Website at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/SearchRes.asp?term=race+ equalityx=10y=9.

Public-Private Partnerships

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the Government's policy to fund additional costs arising out of the seven and a half year break clause in public/private partnership contracts.

John Healey: Variation mechanisms in PPP/PFI contracts are specific to each contract. Changes in costs from variations to PPP/PFI contracts would be for the account of the procuring authority that has entered into the contract.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a case where a tax credit recipient had been told by HM Revenue and Customs staff on the helpline that the award was correct even though the recipient believed there to be an error would pass the Revenue's test of reasonableness for the writing off of overpayments.

Dawn Primarolo: Where a claimant disputes a tax credits overpayment on the grounds of mis-advice, HM Revenue and Customs can review the call records. In reviewing the call record HMRC would decide whether the claimant had provided the full information to the Helpline advisor at the time of the call that enabled the advisor to provide accurate advice to the claimant. If it is found that a claimant was mis-advised by a Helpline advisor, that overpayment would be written off.

Tax Returns

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints he has received on the operation of the online self assessment tax return form since 6 April 2003; and what measures are in place to correct problems with the operation of such forms.

Dawn Primarolo: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has received 19 complaints in connection with the operation of the online self assessment tax return form since 6 April 2003.
	The Online-Services Helpdesk provides support for users of the online self assessment form and takes action to deal with any problems as they arise. In addition, HMRC has a rolling programme to improve and enhance the online service for its customers.

Tax Returns

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a greater range of relevant services, including increasing the use of public and private partnerships specialising in online self-assessments, to help achieve HM Revenue and Customs target to obtain 35 per cent. of self-assessment returns electronically by 200708.

Dawn Primarolo: There is a delicate balance to be struck between providing a greater range of services, enhance existing services, and provide increased capacity and resilience of the online services.
	The Department has worked closely with the public and private sector since the Self Assessment online service was introduced in 2000.
	The HMRC Self Assessment online service was created in close consultation with the software industry and in 2003, we advertised in Government Opportunities and encouraged potential Self Assessment filing partners to come forward. Various initiatives have since been established with independent software vendors, payroll companies and financial organisations. Equal prominence is given to third party software products on the Inland Revenue website.
	An advertisement was published in December 2005 in The Banker sought approaches from banks interested in developing innovative methods of enabling their customers to meet tax obligations.

VAT

Richard Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact of Article 49 of the EC Treaty concerning the free movement of services on his Department's proposed policy changes for repayment of VAT under the 8th and 13th EC directives;
	(2)  whether under his Department's proposed policy changes for repayment of VAT under the 8th and 13th directives a hotel invoice made out in the name and address of the employee will be sufficient to allow UK registered VAT payers to deduct as input tax all the VAT which they incur on hotel accommodation for that employee while he is away from his principal place of work on a business trip.

Dawn Primarolo: I have written to the hon. Member about this matter.

Voting Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the population is registered to vote in each ward of each constituency in Wales, listed in descending order for each constituency.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 20 December 2005
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what percentage of the population is registered to vote in each Ward in Wales. (38272)
	I am placing a table giving the requested information in the House of Commons Library.
	The closest available geography to electoral wards, for which population estimates are available, is Census Area Statistics (CAS) wards. This geography was created for outputs from the 2001 Census and is based mainly on 2003 electoral wards. It is necessary to convert electorate counts to the CAS ward geography and therefore the electorate counts are not necessarily consistent with data published elsewhere.
	The latest available population data available at ward level is for mid-2002, published in April 2005. The ward electorate counts are for December 2002 parliamentary electors, including attainers. No adjustment has been made to reflect the difference between these two timepoints. There are a number of wards that are split by parliamentary constituency i.e. they fall within two or more parliamentary constituencies. These are shown by an asterisk * alongside their ward name, and appear under both constituencies (except where the split is across the English/Welsh border). Electorate and population figures for the whole ward are shown. Some wards will therefore be double counted. It is not possible to split the data for these wards.
	There are a number of limitations with the data that mean that some care should be taken with interpretation of the results.
	There is inevitably some double counting of the registered electorate as electoral registration officers vary in how quickly they remove people from the registers after they have moved away from an area or after they have died. In addition, people can register in more than one place.
	The population data are estimates and as such are subject to a margin of confidence. This margin of confidence is proportionately larger for ward level estimates than for local authority level estimates. These estimates have been published with the status of experimental statistics. Therefore, the estimates, and figures derived from them, should be treated with some care.
	Finally, there a number of other definitional differences between electorates and population estimates. Population estimates include all those usually resident irrespective of nationality, whereas the parliamentary electorate excludes foreign nationals (but Commonwealth and Irish citizens are included). Overseas electors are included in electorate data but not population estimates. Comparable ward counts of local government electors are not readily available.
	There is a relatively small number of wards (11) where the electorate counts are more than 10 per cent. greater than the population estimate. The majority of such cases are likely to be attributable to a limitation in the methodology used to convert electorate counts to a CAS ward geography, though the other limitations set out above will also have an effect.

National Audit Office

Edward Leigh: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission if he will make a statement on the Commission's consideration of the NAO's future workspace requirements.

Alan Williams: At its meeting on 13 December the Public Accounts Commission considered a memorandum from the National Audit Office setting out its proposals for securing its future workspace requirements. These had been drawn up taking into account the views expressed during informal discussions between the NAO and myself, as Chairman of the Commission, and the hon. Member for Gainsborough, in his capacity as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.
	The NAO acquired its existing headquarters building in Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1 in 1984 for 11 million, based on a 127 year lease at a peppercorn rent. Its interest in the building is now thought to be worth about 22 million.
	The NAO's case for a significant upgrading of its headquarters accommodation rests on two main factors:
	the partial refurbishment of the NAO's current building in Buckingham Palace Road, carried out prior to their taking occupancy in 1986, will shortly reach the end of its 20-year life expectancy
	a full condition survey of the building in 2003 concluded that the NAO needed to invest significant expenditure in terms of the necessary, and in some cases urgent, renewal of existing elements of the building fabric and services, including the heating and cooling systems, windows, much of the roof covering and other features of a health and safety concern; these remedial works would need to be carried out within the constraints imposed by the listed status of the central core of the building.
	Faced with these conclusions, the NAO has reviewed the options available to it to meet its future accommodation needs, including:
	a programme of restoration and repair of the building in its existing configuration
	a full refurbishment of the building designed to produce a more modern, flexible and efficient workspace, based on open plan principles conducive to flexible team-working
	the sale of the NAO's interest in the current building, and relocation to another site.
	Taking all these options into consideration, the NAO has concluded that a phased programme of refurbishment will provide the best value for money solution, and has approached the Commission both for approval in principle for such a course and for authority to incur expenditure on preparing a detailed design and firm costings.
	The cost of the refurbishment is provisionally estimated at 150 million over 30 years, as against relocation options ranging from 155 to 250 million. The NAO points out, however, that these figures would need to be offset against current annual expenditure on maintaining and operating the existing BPR building of some 4.4 million, which, discounted over 30 years, would equate to about 81 million. So the net cost of all the options should be reduced by that amount.
	Expressed in terms of additional net resource requirements (and thus the direct impact on the NAO's Estimate) the NAO's preferred option of refurbishment of the BPR building produces the following estimated figures for years 1 to 3 (although the breakdown between capital and revenue may well change following detailed planning):
	
		
			  million 
			  Year l (200708) Year 2 (200809) Year 3 (200910) Total for years 
		
		
			 Capital 30 15.25 15.25 60.50 
			 Revenue 9.05 7.07 8.78 24.90 
			 Total 39.05 22.32 24.03 85.40 
		
	
	By contrast, the relocation options would involve an initial negative capital expenditure, as the cost of any necessary works would be more than offset by the proceeds of the NAO's interest in the current building. Thereafter, however, the stream of annual costs arising from relocation would be significantly greater than those for refurbishmentreflecting mainly the difference between the current peppercorn and future commercial rents.
	In preparation for the Commission's meeting on 13 December, both the hon. Member for Gainsborough and myself visited the Buckingham Palace Road site. We saw not only the current cramped layout and run-down condition of the building, but also the results of a trial refurbishment and conversion to open plan operation of part of the sixth floor. This reorganisation of the workspace represents a stark contrast with the rest of the building and we understand it has already shown tentative results in terms of improved staff morale and efficiency.
	We reported these findings to the Commission. Having taken oral evidence from the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Assistant Auditor General responsible for the building project, the Commission accepted the NAO's case for a substantial upgrade of its workspace. Specifically, the Commission agreed:
	(i) to approve in principle the NAO's plans to refurbish its Buckingham Palace Road headquarters, subject to project costs being confirmed
	within a reasonable range of the estimates and projections contained in the NAO's memorandum to the Commission;
	in time for submission to the Commission for consideration as part of the NAO's next Corporate Plan, for 200708 to 200910;
	(ii) to authorise the NAO
	to incur expenditure of approximately 500,000 on the preparation of detailed costings for the refurbishment project
	to include provision in its Estimate for 200607 for any of the relevant expenditure falling in that year.
	In order to ensure that the NAO's business case is as robust as possible against other options, the Commission has asked it to carry out a cost/benefit analysis of the option of relocating the headquarters building to a north of England location. We have also asked for a detailed explanation of the NAO's reasons for rejecting the option of relocating to a building of similar age on the Civil Estate in London SW1.
	The NAO's memorandum setting out its case for the refurbishment option, and the transcript of the evidence given by the Comptroller and Auditor General at the meeting on 13 December are available on the Commission website, at www.parliament.uk

Departmental Assets

Anne Main: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister why his Department did not produce a public copy of its asset register for financial years ending (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Departmental Asset Registers were published for the first time in 1997, and again in 2001 as part of the National Asset Register exercise led by HM Treasury. There is no central requirement for Departments to publish an asset register, and given until recently our relatively small asset base, no business reason for us to do so.

Disability

Danny Alexander: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether a Minister in his Department is planned to be nominated to take responsibility for liaison with the Office for Disability Issues; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Anne McGuire, the Minister for Disabled People, has overall responsibility for the Office for Disability Issues (ODI). The Minister for Disabled People chairs a cross-government steering group which includes ministerial representatives from the Department of Health, Department for Education and Skills, Department for Transport, Department of Trade and Industry and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The Minister in the ODPM nominated to take responsibility for liaison with the ODI will be myself, as the ODPM Minister with responsibility for equality and diversity issues.

Disability

Danny Alexander: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the initial activity undertaken by his Department in response to those recommendations in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit Report Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People where lead responsibility was assigned to all Government Departments.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) will report annually to the Prime Minister on cross-government progress in implementing the Strategy Unit report, Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People. The first report is due to be published by summer 2006. It will contain an assessment of the initial activity undertaken by the ODI to fulfil its specific responsibilities, which require the active involvement of other Government Departments. It will also include an assessment of the initial activity undertaken by Government Departments to fulfil the responsibilities they have outside of the ODI remit.

Empty Properties

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of empty public sector (a) residential properties and (b) commercial and industrial properties in each Government office region of England.

Yvette Cooper: The number of empty public sector and RSL residential properties by Government office region is shown in the following table. Additionally this is shown as a percentage of all dwellings in the area. Information on the number of empty public sector commercial and industrial properties is not held centrally. These include short term vacancies.
	
		Number of empty residential public sector and RSL properties by Government office region, as at 1 April 2005
		
			  Residential 
			  LA RSL Other public Total public Percentage of public sector stock 
		
		
			 North East 5,200 3,600 400 9,200 3.2 
			 North West 7,700 9,500 900 18,100 3.0 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 7,300 4,200 300 11,800 2.7 
			 East Midlands 5,000 1,500 1,200 7,700 2.4 
			 West Midlands 5,000 5,100 100 10,300 2.2 
			 East of England 3,400 1,500 1,000 6,000 1.5 
			 London 9,600 5,100 1,000 15,700 2.0 
			 South East 3,200 2,900 900 7,000 1.4 
			 South West 2,000 1,500 500 4,000 1.3 
			 England 48,600 35,00 6,300 89,900 2.2 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Totals may not equal the sum of components because of rounding.
	2. RSL stock figures from live table 115 includes about 100,000 bedspaces. This figure can not be converted to units without assumptions due to form changes.
	Source:
	Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix return for LA and other public sector, and the Housing Corporation's Regulatory Statistical Return (RSR) for RSLs.

Energy Efficiency/Performance

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress on energy efficiency has been made in relation to (a) building and (b) planning in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has raised Building Regulations energy efficiency standards in 2002 and 2005 and will do so again in 2006. From next April standards will be improved by around 20 per cent. for new dwellings and up to 27 per cent. for other new buildings to levels that are up to 40 per cent. higher than those in place in 1997. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is also working with the construction industry, including building control bodies, to facilitate compliance.
	We published in September 2004 a broad ranging Better Practice advisory document, the Planning Response to Climate Change. This supports the core policy in Planning Policy Statement (PPS)l, Delivering Sustainable Development, published in February 2005, which sets out how Regional Planning Bodies and local planning authorities should ensure that development plans contribute to global sustainability by addressing the causes and potential impacts of climate change.

Green Belt

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much land within 1997-designated green belt in each region changed to developed use in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: The available estimates are from Land Use Change Statistics, shown in the following tables. The numbers and table titles are unchanged but the units for the tables headed New dwellings within 1997 designated green belt, given previously as hectares, are corrected to dwellings. The order of the tables has also been changed to follow the order of the questions. The estimates for 2003 are provisional and are subject to revision. Figures are not shown for 1999 as the data received for that year were incomplete. Figures for 1997 to 2000 reflect planning policies and decisions made before this Government took office.
	
		Land changing to residential use within 1997 designated green belt Hectares
		
			  1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 (a) All on designated green belt
			 North East 3 3 1 2 7 1 0 2 3 
			 North West 51 46 39 60 59 64 43 49 53 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 25 27 21 40 42 28 41 50 46 
			 East Midlands 9 10 13 10 7 20 17 6 9 
			 West Midlands 24 27 29 33 31 38 31 56 35 
			 East of England 40 50 41 37 49 58 68 36 46 
			 London 4 5 6 9 17 16 10 23 15 
			 South East 62 52 49 67 54 75 64 52 55 
			 South West 9 14 8 10 16 14 13 9 9 
			 England 226 234 207 267 281 313 288 283 272 
			   
			 Proportion of all green belt (percentage) 0.014 0.014 0.013 0.016 0.017 0.019 0.017 0.017 0.016 
			   
			 (b) On greenfield land (not previously developed)   
			 North East 2 2 1 2 7 1 0 1 2 
			 North West 26 17 27 36 29 23 17 20 25 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 18 17 15 24 25 21 20 25 22 
			 East Midlands 6 6 4 4 4 6 12 3 6 
			 West Midlands 15 15 19 14 17 22 17 24 14 
			 East of England 11 14 12 10 10 22 13 13 20 
			 London 1 2 0 0 7 6 3 8 4 
			 South East 18 10 12 28 19 28 14 17 13 
			 South West 3 9 4 6 10 7 4 5 2 
			 England 101 93 94 123 127 135 99 115 109 
			   
			 Proportion of all green belt (percentage) 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.007 0.008 0.008 0.006 0.007 0.007 
		
	
	
		Land changing to developed use within 1997 designated green belt Hectares
		
			  1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 (a) All on designated green belt  
			 North East 43 20 11 143 18 47 13 21 18 
			 North West 331 329 367 488 401 223 367 142 222 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 253 283 182 481 437 164 131 286 285 
			 East Midlands 65 132 197 97 93 92 102 28 128 
			 West Midlands 173 210 286 130 125 328 155 129 335 
			 East of England 172 183 159 196 238 273 319 169 339 
			 London 19 28 44 95 64 37 125 36 64 
			 South East 228 244 482 395 218 554 309 143 151 
			 South West 48 145 207 58 85 132 75 35 29 
			 England 1,332 1,573 1,935 2,084 1,678 1,850 1,596 988 1,570 
			   
			 Proportion of all green belt (percentage) 0.08 0.10 0.12 0.13 0.10 0.11 0.10 0.06 0.10 
			   
			 (b) On greenfield land (not previously developed)
			 North East 14 15 7 109 8 45 6 16 10 
			 North West 197 150 243 315 262 101 237 53 59 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 152 102 75 274 282 60 52 124 133 
			 East Midlands 46 60 160 61 74 70 58 13 60 
			 West Midlands 101 76 143 69 62 67 35 52 266 
			 East of England 83 84 87 150 71 65 90 100 120 
			 London 12 14 19 48 25 14 42 10 31 
			 South East 112 103 104 204 69 389 90 40 57 
			 South West 28 92 160 42 53 91 45 14 8 
			 England 746 696 999 1,273 904 902 656 421 744 
			   
			 Proportion of all green belt (percentage) 0.05 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.03 0.05 
		
	
	
		New dwellings within 1997 designated green belt Dwellings
		
			  1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 (a) All on designated green belt  
			 North East 52 23 22 50 140 19 11 27 70 
			 North West 879 771 730 1,284 1,049 1,350 799 1,019 1,565 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 373 423 316 630 673 508 891 939 815 
			 East Midlands 143 125 181 194 143 297 289 117 120 
			 West Midlands 390 533 474 610 507 731 817 879 653 
			 East of England 552 580 499 479 846 956 1,181 485 795 
			 London 89 153 171 182 441 384 218 405 287 
			 South East 653 733 553 868 802 1,175 950 734 1,053 
			 South West 124 211 109 159 309 271 243 199 163 
			 England 3,255 3,552 3,055 4,456 4,910 5,691 5,399 4,804 5,521 
			   
			 Proportion of all new dwellings (percentage) 2 3 2 3 4 4 4 4 3 
			   
			 (b) On greenfield land (not previously developed)
			 North East 46 20 19 34 128 17 2 19 45 
			 North West 472 285 486 746 486 355 296 329 682 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 289 269 173 336 361 373 462 361 405 
			 East Midlands 93 77 67 93 77 39 148 39 65 
			 West Midlands 220 313 288 276 225 372 462 333 250 
			 East of England 119 134 132 107 135 331 198 145 286 
			 London 56 67 6 3 238 131 72 127 79 
			 South East 172 117 147 301 218 278 134 194 322 
			 South West 53 135 46 93 195 90 32 76 34 
			 England 1,520 1,417 1,364 1,989 2,063 1,986 1,806 1,623 2,168 
			   
			 Proportion of all new dwellings (percentage) 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1

Greenbelt Land

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his planning policy for development of green belt land.

Yvette Cooper: The Government's planning policy in relation to green belt land is set out in Planning Policy Guidance note 2 (PPG2), Green Belts. Specifically, there remains a general presumption against inappropriate development in the green belt. Such development should not be approved except in very special circumstances, where it can be shown that the harm to the green belt, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations.

Homebuyers Information Pack

Charles Walker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the expected benefits of the Home Information Pack.

Yvette Cooper: The reforms to the home buying and selling process will benefit the home buying process by making it a better experience for the consumer and by creating a more efficient housing market. In particular, packs will:
	Increase consumer satisfactionnearly nine out of 10 consumers are dissatisfied with the present process.
	Increase transparencyat present, key information about the property only becomes available after terms have been agreed.
	Reduce the current high transaction failure rate28 per cent. fail after terms have been agreed.
	Reduce the huge abortive costs for consumersover 350 million spent by consumers on failed transactions.
	Speed up the transaction processsales take twice the time of the European average; HIPs should bring us more into line with overseas experience.
	Improve consumer redressestate agents marketing homes with packs will be required, for the first time, to belong to an approved redress scheme.
	Improve the position for first time buyersthey will receive pack information free, thus reducing the cost of entry into home ownership.
	Support sustainable home ownershipinformation in the pack, on property condition for example, will ensure that buyers are not faced with unexpected repairs and other commitments they cannot afford.
	Create a more efficient housing marketthus facilitating greater flexibility and labour mobility.
	Deliver the European Directive requirement for sellers to provide energy performance certificates to home buyers. The home condition report in the pack will contain an energy efficiency report and certificate. This will assist the delivery of the Government's target of a 20 per cent. reduction in residential carbon emissions by 2010. The energy efficiency report will identify cost effective ways of improving energy efficiency.

Housing

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average weekly rent for a two-bed (a) registered social landlord and (b) local authority property was in each (i) London borough and (ii) English region in (A) 2001 and (B) 2005.

Yvette Cooper: The data requested are given in the following tables. On average social rents in London for two bedroom properties in 200405 are 44 per cent. of private sector rents.
	(i) London boroughs
	
		Table 1: Average weekly rent for a two bedroom property: London boroughs  a week
		
			  Registered social landlord Local authority landlord 
			  2001 2005 2001 2005 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 66.45 72.21 54.67 63.56 
			 Barnet 68.83 77.97 58.26 67.87 
			 Bexley 62.55 68.27 LSVT LSVT 
			 Brent 63.72 76.26 70.28 75.25 
			 Bromley 66.15 74.37 LSVT LSVT 
			 Camden 68.03 82.98 n/a 73.27 
			 City of London 59.32 74.14 64.46 75.95 
			 Croydon 70.25 78.00 n/a 71.15 
			 Ealing 64.99 78.11 65.47 69.07 
			 Enfield 63.85 75.25 69.25 70.14 
			 Greenwich 62.78 73.95 57.10 65.80 
			 Hackney 58.01 70.00 61.04 64.09 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 62.02 74.82 60.75 71.83 
			 Haringey 63.69 73.38 59.87 66.60 
			 Harrow 68.14 75.25 68.85 71.07 
			 Havering 63.02 73.00 49.64 54.76 
			 Hillingdon 68.96 80.50 70.45 77.78 
			 Hounslow 66.78 76.84 57.78 67.81 
			 Islington 60.30 72.30 65.12 71.68 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 59.63 73.50 76.69 82.12 
			 Kingston upon Thames 68.72 85.04 66.32 74.89 
			 Lambeth 58.76 68.83 58.43 69.39 
			 Lewisham 58.82 70.27 57.88 64.75 
			 Merton 66.70 76.19 n/a 67.59 
			 Newham 65.65 77.15 55.52 70.45 
			 Redbridge 69.34 79.70 72.06 73.34 
			 Richmond upon Thames 67.01 75.62 LSVT LSVT 
			 Southwark 60.03 72.56 58.01 65.81 
			 Sutton 67.50 76.86 53.59 n/a 
			 Tower Hamlets 59.03 71.56 68.68 69.50 
			 Waltham Forest 67.29 72.71 65.73 73.95 
			 Wandsworth 66.78 79.90 67.77 84.36 
			 Westminster 69.04 82.10 82.72 92.61 
			 London 63.55 74.49 61.68 69.78 
		
	
	n/anot available due to no return from the local authority.
	LSVTmeans that most of the local authority stock has been transferred to the RSL sector.
	Notes:
	1. Registered social landlord data based on data collected by the Housing Corporation via the annual Regulatory and Statistical Return. Local authority data based on unaudited returns from the Second Subsidy Claim form and are provisional for 2004.
	2. Data are at end March.
	(ii) English regions
	
		Table 2: Average weekly rent for a two bedroom property:English regions  per week
		
			  Registered social landlord Local authority landlord 
			  2001 2005 2001 2005 
		
		
			 North East 47.40 52.13 39.28 45.27 
			 North West 46.47 53.69 43.73 49.50 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 49.20 50.90 39.87 45.97 
			 East Midlands 50.70 56.82 41.66 48.89 
			 West Midlands 47.96 55.26 42.69 50.31 
			 East Midlands 56.41 62.77 48.60 58.76 
			 London 63.55 74.49 61.68 69.78 
			 South East 61.89 70.39 53.43 62.06 
			 South West 53.87 61.39 45.64 51.32 
			 England 54.43 61.13 47.52 55.26 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Registered Social Landlord data based on data collected by the Housing Corporation via the annual Regulatory and Statistical Return. Local authority data based on unaudited returns from the Second Subsidy Claim form and are provisional for 2005.
	2. Data are at end March.
	3. Local authority regional rents are not adjusted for missing returns from local authorities.

Local Government

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what representations he has received on the Local Government Finance Settlement relating to (a) Norfolk and (b) all shire counties in England;
	(2)  if he will meet the leader of Norfolk county council to discuss the Local Government Finance Settlement as it relates to Norfolk county council.

Phil Woolas: The consultation on Government's proposals for the 200607 and 200708 Local Government Finance Settlements runs from 5 December 2005 to 11 January 2006.To date we have received no written representations on the consultation from Norfolk county council or any other shire county.
	I will be meeting a delegation from Norfolk county council on 11 January 2006 to discuss their response to the settlement consultation.

Public Bodies/Agencies

Michael Weir: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff were employed by non-departmental public bodies and agencies for which he has responsibility in 200405 in (a) total and (b) each (i) nation and (ii) region of the UK and (c) London.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Total Executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPB) staff numbers as at 31 March 2005 for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is recorded in Table 2 of Public Bodies 2005, a copy of which is available in the Libraries of the House, and online at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/the_future_of_the_civil_ service/agencies_and_public_bodies/publications/pdf/public-bodies/publicbodies2005.pdf
	The number of staff in individual Executive agencies as at 1 April 2004, including a regional analysis, is available in Civil Service Statistics 2004 which was published in February 2005, a copy of which is available in the Libraries of the House. It is also available online at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_of_the_civil_ service/statistics/contents_for_civil_service_statistics_2004_ report/number_of_civil_servants/index.asp
	Both of the aforementioned represent the latest available information which is held centrally.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not hold data centrally for NDPB and agencies broken down by regions.

Right-to-Buy

Terry Rooney: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of the council housing stock (a) houses and (b) flats has been sold since 1980 under the right to buy scheme.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 6 December 2005
	An estimated 30 percent. of council housing stock in England has been sold through the right to buy scheme since 1980. Information concerning the type of dwelling is not available.
	An estimate of the percentage of council stock sold is based on right to nuy sales as a percentage of the notional stock (the most recent stock figure plus all reported sales since 1 April 1979).

Airspace (Extraordinary Rendition)

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are in place to ensure that the UK's interpretation of the UN Convention Against Torture is applied in decisions on the rendition of detainees to other countries via UK territory or airspace.

Kim Howells: The term rendition is currently being used to describe informal transfers of individuals in a wide range of circumstances. Whether any particular rendition is lawful depends on the facts of each individual case. Where we are requested to assist another State and our assistance would be lawful, we will decide whether or not to assist taking into account all the circumstances. We would not assist in any case if to do so would put us in breach of UK law or our international obligations, including under the United Nations (UN) Convention Against Torture. In particular, consistent with our obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture, we would not facilitate or permit the transfer of an individual from or through the UK to another State where there were substantial grounds to believe that the person would face a real risk of torture.

Airspace (Extraordinary Rendition)

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the criteria by which the Government makes the decision on whether to accept or reject an application from overseas for access to UK (a) facilities and (b) airspace for the purpose of rendition of a detainee to a third country.

Kim Howells: The term rendition is currently being used to describe informal transfers of individuals in a wide range of circumstances. Whether any particular rendition is lawful depends on the facts of each individual case. Where we are requested to assist another State and our assistance would be lawful, we will decide whether or not to assist taking into account all the circumstances. We would not assist in any case if to do so would put us in breach of UK law or our international obligations, including under the United Nations Convention Against Torture. In particular, we would not facilitate or permit the transfer of an individual from or through the UK to another State where there were grounds to believe that the person would face a real risk of torture.

Airspace (Extraordinary Rendition)

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2005, Official Report, column 1023W, on airspace (extraordinary rendition), if he will define the term 'non-scheduled, non-commercial civil aircraft'; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: I have been asked to reply.
	Non-scheduled, non-commercial civil aircraft refers to foreign civil aircraft that are not engaged in scheduled international air services and have not been engaged in the carriage of passengers, cargo, or mail for remuneration or hire. Such flights do not require prior permission to land from the Secretary of State for Transport. Article 5 is the relevant article in the Chicago Convention.

Antarctic Research

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much Government funding has been allocated in each of the last five years to the Antarctic Research stations of (a) Halley, (b) Bird Island, (c) Signy Island and (d) Rothera.

Alan Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Natural Environment Research Council's funding (through the British Antarctic Survey) of these Antarctic stations in the last five years is detailed in the following table:
	
		
			  000 
			  Bird Island Signy Island Rothera Halley Total bases 
		
		
			 200001 971 976 10,293 5,825 18,066 
			 200102 854 856 8,478 5,227 15,415 
			 200203 936 1,001 8,883 5,687 16,507 
			 200304 910 964 8,811 5,361 16,047 
			 200405 2,048 1,037 9,254 5,580 17,919

EU Presidency

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the UK presidency of the EU.

Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary set out the work programme for the UK presidency in detail in the White Paper Prospects for the EU in 2005 (Cmnd 6611) presented to the House on 30 June 2005. A new White Paper will follow in the new year. We have made progress in a number of areas, including the historic decision to open accession negotiations with Turkey and Croatia on 3 October 2005. Last month we achieved significant reform of the EU sugar regime. And we continue to work on a range of issues from the fight against terrorism to the future financing of the EU.

Falkland Islands

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is his Department's policy to bring about the commercialisation of the Ministry of Defence air-bridge to the Falkland Islands.

Douglas Alexander: The military air-bridge has been part of discussions between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence, but so far the establishment of a commercial element has not been part of these discussions. No policy decisions have been made on the subject.

Benefit Payments

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what measures he is taking to ensure that carers claim the benefits to which they are entitled;
	(2)  what plans he has to increase carer's allowance.

Anne McGuire: Carers may be entitled to the full range of social security benefits depending on their individual circumstances. Information and advice about entitlement to carer's allowance and other benefits are available from a range of outlets including social security offices, Jobcentre Plus offices, DWP and other helplines, DWP and other internet sites, local authorities, Citizens Advice and welfare benefit offices, public libraries, health clinics, doctors' surgeries and health visitors. Officials from the Department's Disability and Carers Service also discuss carer's allowance at outreach events up and down the country.
	In addition, the extensive pension credit take-up campaign, mounted by the Pension Service, has helped many older carers to benefit from the Government's abolition of the upper age limit on claims to carer's allowance and provided advice on other benefits. As at 31 May 2005, some 437,000 carers were receiving carer's allowance, around 210,000 were receiving the carer premium in income support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, and about 164,000 were receiving the carer's additional amount in pension credit.
	The carer's allowance claim pack is kept under review and improvements are introduced on an ongoing basis. Claims can be made in writing, by phone and on-line, and can be accepted by organisations such as Age Concern and Citizens Advice as well as DWP offices.
	The weekly rate of carer's allowance is increased annually in line with the Retail Prices Index. As announced on 6 December, it will go up to 46.96 in April 2006.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total of unpaid maintenance owed by the Child Support Agency to parents with care has been in each quarter since 199798; how much has been written off each year as uncollectable maintenance; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty dated 20 December 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total of unpaid maintenance owed by the Child Support Agency to parents with care has been in each quarter since 1997; how much has been written off each year as uncollectable maintenance; and if he will make a statement.
	The Child Support Agency does not owe child maintenance to parents with care; child maintenance is owed by non-resident parents.
	The Child Support Agency has no legislative power to write off debt, and current debt is now the cumulative total of 12 years. For accounting purposes the Agency accepts that in some cases some debt is probably un-collectable (for example, where the non-resident parent is long-term unemployed, has gone abroad, or has died). The accounts have been adjusted accordingly: however the full amount owed remains due from the non-resident parent.
	The table below summarises the cumulative total of the Child Support Agency's collectable and probably un-collectable debt on an annual basis since 1996/97. It is extracted from the annual debt analysis and is as reported in the Annual Report and Accounts. Information is not held on a quarterly basis:
	
		
			million 
			  Amount classed as collectable(25) Amount classed as probably un-collectable 
		
		
			 200405 1,268.378 1,984.400 
			 200304 975.894 2,004.847 
			 200203 790.070 1,965.340 
			 200102 611.209 1,915.312 
			 200001 618.020 1,692.380 
			 19992000 653.705 1,410.853 
			 199899 690.235 1,069.680 
			 199798 597.165 829.237 
			 199697(26) 397.447 748.040 
		
	
	(25) Collectable debt includes that classified as probably collectable and deferred in the agency's annual report and accounts.
	(26) 199697 re-stated in 199798 accounts for change in accounting policy.
	Note:
	These amounts include maintenance owed either to the parent with care, or the Secretary of State (where the parent with care is in receipt of benefit). It is not possible to apportion money not yet collected to the parent with care or Secretary of State.
	I hope you find this information helpful.

Departmental Expenditure

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total departmental expenditure was on the administration of (a) the Employment Service, (b) the Benefits Agency and (c) Jobcentre Plus in each of the last five years; and what the projected expenditure is in each organisation for the next three years.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 20 December 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning: what the total departmental spend was on the administration of (a) the Employment Service, (b) the Benefits Agency and (c) Jobcentre Plus in each of the last five years; and what the projected spends are in each organisation for the next three years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The Employment Service (an Executive Agency of the former Department for Education and Employment) and the Benefits Agency (part of the former Department of Social Security) ceased to exist on 31 March 2002. From 1 April 2002, the Benefits Agency's functions were split between The Pensions Service and Jobcentre Plus, both Executive Agencies of the newly formed Department for Work and Pensions. The Employment Service then became part of Jobcentre Plus. The table below shows the approximate net administration costs of the part of the Benefits Agency that transferred to Jobcentre Plus added to the administration costs of the Employment Service for 200001 and 200102.
	
		
			   million 
			  Net administration costs 
		
		
			 200001 3,043 
			 200102 3,001 
		
	
	The administration costs of Jobcentre Plus for the three years from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2005 are contained in the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts, copies of which can be found in the House of Commons Library. However, to assist you I have reproduced the figures below.
	
		
			   million 
			  Net administration costs 
		
		
			 200203 2,951 
			 200304 3,042 
			 200405 3,148 
		
	
	The projected net administration costs for the subsequent three years are as follows:
	
		
			   million 
			  Net administration costs 
		
		
			 200506 3,301 
			 200607 3,323 
			 200708 3,146 
		
	
	I hope this is helpful.

Pension Credit

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level of take-up of pension credit has been in each quarter since its launch.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available.
	Latest estimates of the number of pensioners entitled to but not receiving the main income related benefits relate to financial year 200203 and predate the introduction of pension credit. Estimates for minimum income guaranteethe predecessor to pension creditcan be found in the DWP report entitled Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 200203. Copies of the publication are available in the Library.
	Estimates of pension credit will be published in early 2006; this publication will include the first six months of pension credit. Estimates for the full year 200405 are expected to be published in May 2006.

Revised Jobseekers Agreement (Staffordshire)

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what evaluation has been carried out of the revised jobseeker's agreement piloted in North Staffordshire.

Stephen Timms: The jobseeker's allowance (JSA) pilots were trialled in 13 districts covering 138 offices. The pilots were primarily designed to test different ways of delivering the JSA regime.
	The research report The Qualitative Evaluation of the JSA Intervention Regime Pilots was published on 8 December this year, and contains an assessment of the revised jobseeker's agreement. The results were anonymised to avoid identification of information sources from individual offices. The report, therefore, does not single out North Staffordshire. The report is available in the Library.

Volunteers

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many volunteering positions his Department has offered in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Animal Cruelty

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of cruelty towards animals in London in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is in the table. Statistics on court proceedings for 2005 will be available autumn 2006.
	
		Number of offenders(30) found guilty for offences relating to animal cruelty in Greater London area (Metropolitan and City of London police force areas) 19972004
		
			 Statute 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Protection of Animals Act, 1911 (as amended) 57 46 46 48 48 44 46 29 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 Sec 8 
			 Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925 
			 Protection of Animals Act, 1934 4 3   
			 Docking and Nicking of Horses Act, 19491 
			 Pet Animals Act, 1951 2  4 2 3  3 1 
			 Cockfighting Act, 1952 
			 Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act, 1954 6  1 2   2  
			 Animal Health Act, 1981, Secs 4042, 46 and 49 and Orders 8 3 11 9 13 12 5 12 
			 made under Sees 8, 9, 37, 38, 39 and 43 
			 Slaughterhouses Act, 1974   -  
			 Abandonment of Animals Act, 1960, Sec 1  4  1 2
			 Animal and Animal Products (Import and Export) 
			 Regulations 1988 
			 Animals (Cruel Poisons) Act, 1962 
			 Animal Boarding Establishments Act, 1963 
			 Riding Establishments Acts, 1964 and 1970 
			 Slaughter of Poultry Act, 1967 
			 Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1968, Secs 1, 2 and 6 1
			 Protection of Badgers Act, 1992 (except Sec 13) 1  1  
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 Sec 9 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 Sec 11 
			 Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996  11   
			 Breeding of Dogs Acts 1973 and 1991 
			 Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999 
			 Diseases of Animals Act 2 7 7 2 13 8 12 16 
			 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Sees 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 17 8 1 74 2 1 1 10 22 
			 Total 89 65 143 67 80 66 79 80 
		
	
	(30) Principal offence basis.

Cannabis

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Government will publish the findings of the review of the reclassification of cannabis.

Paul Goggins: At the request of the Home Secretary, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) has undertaken a review of the recent evidence about the effects of cannabis use on mental health and the alleged increase into the potency of cannabis products. The ACMD intends to publish its Report in early 2006.

Departmental Research

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research projects commissioned by his Department are being undertaken; and what the publication arrangements are in each case.

Charles Clarke: The Home Office commissions a variety of social and scientific research in order to improve policy making, decision taking and to provide the public and Parliament with information necessary for informed debate and for future use. All high quality social research outputs will either be published by the Home Office, or permission granted for such outputs to be published elsewhere.
	The majority of social research is published as online reports, freely available on the Home Office website. Some works are still published in paper form, such as the Home Office research studies, and the summary publication: Findings. The Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) Business Plan 200506 outlines the wide range of work carried out by HOSDB to deliver on the (recently published) HO Science and Innovation Strategy, increasing the effective use of physical sciences in Home Office business. The HOSDB Business Plan is available on the Home Office website. HOSDB is carrying out in excess of 100 science and technology projects to increase the capabilities of its stakeholders. As has been the case for many years, publications arising from the (non-classified) work will be made available in hard copy and (more recently) on the Home Office website.
	Other (classified) publications will be given a limited circulation and issued to key stakeholders in their preferred format as appropriate. The Forensic Science Service carries out projects funded by the Home Office Hard Science research and development fund. The results of these projects are published when appropriate in peer-reviewed journals.
	There are a number of other areas of the Department that also undertake research to inform policy development. The available information providing details of the research projects currently being undertaken across the Department and its agencies has been summarised in tables which will be placed in the Library, together with copies of the business plan for RDS NOMS.
	
		Immigration Research and Statistics Serviceresearch programme
		
			 Project title Description of objective of work Publication arrangements 
		
		
			 Longitudinal research with refugees   
			 Resettlement policy and practice Literature review of resettlement policy and practice in other developed countries and detailed policy analysis in four resettlement countries (USA, Canada, Netherlands and Sweden). The aim of this work is to identify the mechanisms through which other resettlement schemes operate, and effective practice Publication date to be decided 
			
			 Predeparture orientation Scoping study and systematic literature review about effective ways of preparing resettled refugees before they leave current location Publication date to be decided 
			
			 Longitudinal and cross-cultural methodological development: workshop Workshop with international experts on longitudinal and cross-cultural research methods to enable team to develop methods and tools that are acceptable Planned for early 2006 
			
			 Research with refugees arriving under the Gateway protection resettlement programme Longitudinal study to examine the integration and resettlement experiences of those arriving in the UK under the Quota Resettlement Programme Publication date to be decided 
			
			 Longitudinal survey of refugees (renamed from longitudinal survey of refugees and other migrants) Longitudinal study to examine the integration experiences of refugees Publication date to be decided 
			
			 Data linking Investigate the potential for linking DWP and HO databases and develop a method for accessing administrative data to support other longitudinal data collection No plans to publish 
		
	
	Notes:
	1 = Strategic statistics
	2 = Strategic research
	3 = Evaluation/OR
	4 = Performance analysis/policy support
	
		
			 Project title Description of objective of work Publication arrangements 
		
		
			 Managed and irregular migration   
			 Employer study Qualitative interviews with employers to establish the practices of recruitment and employment and attitudes towards migrants as a labour source Planned for mid 2006 
			
			 Worker Registration Schemeemployees experience Analysis of date sets held by WP(UK) to answer the question raised by Ministers on whether people on the WRS are returning home or remaining in the UK No plans to publish 
			
			 Increases in entry age for spousesevaluation of impacts on forced marriage Understand the impact that increasing the entry age for spouses has had on the incidence of forced marriages involving British citizens Publication date to be decided 
			
			 Illegally resident third country nationals in the EU member states: state approaches towards them, their profile and social situation Part of the work programme for the European Migration Network as agreed by the European Commission and member states. It is intended to collate data on approaches to illegal residence in different EU countries Publication date to be decided 
		
	
	
		
			 Project title Description of objective of work Publication arrangements 
		
		
			 Asylum processes, reception and returns   
			 Comparative European research on accommodation and reception processes and impacts Detailed comparative research on the use and impacts of accommodation centres in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Denmark Planned for early 2006 
			
			 Data linking Investigate the potential for linking DWP and HO databases and develop a method for accessing administrative data to support other longitudinal data collection No plans to publish 
			
			 Success factors in NASS dispersal To establish what factors contribute to successful dispersal (in terms of community relations) and how NASS can develop its practice and policies accordingly Planned for December 2005 
			
			 Section 9 implementation Assisting operational colleagues in producing a final evaluation that conforms to requisite standards. Undertaking inferential data analysis and assisting in development of qualitative code frames Publication date to be decided 
			
			 Developing Iraqi-focused voluntary return programmes A qualitative research project with Iraqi nationals, community leaders and relevant stakeholders Publication date to be decided 
			
			 Evaluation of Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programmes (VARRP)2004 To evaluate the programme on voluntary return, to assess effectiveness and make recommendations for future development Publication date to be decided 
			
			 Return of unaccompanied asylum seeker children To be determined Publication date to be decided 
		
	
	
		
			 Project title Description of objective of work Publication arrangements 
		
		
			 Community relations and refugee integration   
			 Review of the evidence on good practice and what works in integration of new migrants To review the evidence base regarding what works in the integration of refugees and other recent migrants, to inform a presentation at the 2004 UK National Integration Conference and, in the longer term, IRSS's research strategy Planned for early 2006 
			
			 Informing ethnic monitoring of passengers arriving at UK airports Request from Race Monitor to develop methodology to monitor passengers subjected to more rigorous examination Planned for mid 2006 
			
			 Data linking Investigate the potential for linking DWP and HO databases and develop a method for accessing administrative data to support other longitudinal data collection No plans to publish 
			
			 Evaluation of CF and ERF To evaluate the fund and identify cost effective interventions; to provide technical support to facilitate self-evaluation and development of interventions: reception, return, integration. Funded by ERF and CF. Three sub-projects (Evaluation 200304, Impact 200304, Evaluation 200405) Publication date to be decided 
			
			 Evaluation of SUNRISE Evaluate implementation of first stage roll-out; provide data on outputs from SUNRISE Publication date to be decided

Departmental Staff

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civilian staff employed by his Department have been made redundant in each year since 1995; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: The number of civilian staff employed by the Home Office Department who have been made redundant in each year since 1995 are as follows:
	
		
			  Home Office Prison Service United Kingdom Passport Service Forensic Science Service Fire Service College 
		
		
			 1995 22 Not available 0 0 8 
			 1996 26 Not available 0 8 0 
			 1997 12 Not available 0 47 0 
			 1998 3 12 0 0 0 
			 1999 2 16 0 1 0 
			 2000 2 14  0 0 
			 2001 2 81/2  0 1 
			 2002 6 14 10 0  
			 2003 3 5  84 Ceases to be HO agency 
			 2004 0 31/2  52  
			 2005 0 4  4

Direct Mail Contracts

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts for direct mail were signed by his Department in (a) 200506 to date and (b) 200405; and what the value was in each case.

Charles Clarke: The Department has awarded one contract for direct mail in 200506. The value of the spend to date is 17,200. The Department did not award any contracts for direct mail in 200405.

Drugs

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish drug seizure and offender statistics for England and Wales for 2003; and what the reasons are for the delay in publication.

Paul Goggins: These statistics have been published within Drug offenders in England and Wales 2003 (findings 256, 1 March 2005) and Seizures of drugs in England and Wales, 2003 (findings 265, 25 August 2005). Both of these publications, along with respective supplementary tables, are available online at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/rfpubs1.htm.

Under-age Drinking (Penalty Notices)

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalty notices have been issued for (a) selling alcohol to under-18s, (b) under-18s drinking alcohol, (c) attempting to buy alcohol when under age and (d) selling alcohol to a person who is drunk; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) scheme was brought into effect in England and Wales during 200304 to provide the police with a quick and effective means of dealing with minor offences. Under the scheme an offender is issued with a fixed penalty notice and has 21 days in which to pay the penalty or request a court hearing.
	The numbers of penalty notices issued for offences related to selling and buying alcohol are provided in the table.
	
		Number of Penalty Notices for Disorder for certain offences relating to alcohol, England and Wales, 2004 and 2005(40)
		
			 Offence description 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Selling alcohol to person under 18 113 385 
			 Consumption of alcohol by under 18 in licensed premises 7 33 
			 Buying/attempting to buy alcohol by under 18  5 
			 Selling alcohol to drunken person  9 
		
	
	(40) Provisional data January-July 2005

Under-age Drinking (Penalty Notices)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) businesses and (b) individuals were prosecuted for supplying alcohol to youths under the age of 18 years in (i) England, (ii) Staffordshire and (iii) Tamworth constituency in each of the past five years.

Paul Goggins: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts in England and Staffordshire police force area for Selling etc., intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 for consumption on the premises (including wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18) 2000 to 2004 is contained in the following table. It is not possible to identify those prosecuted in Tamworth, as the data is not collected at this level of detail.
	The penalty notice for disorder scheme provides for persons who commit specified penalty offences to be issued with a fixed penalty notice instead of being prosecuted. The offence of selling alcohol to persons aged under 18 was added to the Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) scheme on one November 2004 for use on bar or off license staff. License holders will be prosecuted. The court has powers to declare a justices' licence forfeit on a second or subsequent conviction. The Licensing Act 2003 allows the court on conviction to suspend a personal licence for up to six months or to declare it forfeit for first conviction.
	In England, 112 penalty notices were issued for this offence in 2004 and provisional data for 2005 shows that 377 were issued to the end of July. In Staffordshire, no penalty notices were issued in 2004 or 2005 for this offence.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for supplying alcohol to persons under 18 in Staffordshire police force area and England, 20041
		
			 Offence: Selling etc intoxicating liquor to person under 18 for consumption on the premises 
			 Statute: Licensing Act 1964 SS.169A and 169B as added by Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 S.1; Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 S.3 [Schedule Para.4(1)] 
			   Proceeded against 
			  Area Business Persons 
		
		
			 2000 Staffordshire(42) n/a n/a 
			  England 1 115 
			 2001 Staffordshire   
			  England  146 
			 2002 Staffordshire  1 
			  England 2 147 
			 2003 Staffordshire  8 
			  England 28 533 
			 2004 Staffordshire  4 
			  England 21 733 
		
	
	
		
			 Offence: Wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18 
			 Statute: Licensing Act 1964 S.181A(1) as added by Licensing Act 1988 S.17 proceeded against 
			   Proceeded against 
			  Area Business Persons 
		
		
			 2000 Staffordshire(42) n/a n/a 
			  England  2 
			 2001 Staffordshire   
			  England  3 
			 2002 Staffordshire   
			  England  2 
			 2003 Staffordshire   
			  England  12 
			 2004 Staffordshire  1 
			  England  5 
		
	
	n/a = Not available
	(41) These data are provided on the principal offence basis.
	(42) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates' courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.

Eurotunnel

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of (a) whether the avant-projets of Eurotunnel remain relevant and (b) the development of alternative procedures (i) for considering modifications to Eurotunnel's existing arrangements and (ii) for determining which modifications are sufficiently significant to require the involvement and agreement of the Intergovernmental Commission and the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority.

Derek Twigg: We understand that discussions have taken place, involving Eurotunnel, on the need to continue to update avant projets when changes are made, and on alternative methods of obtaining agreement to any further major changes in procedures or physical structures. These discussions are not concluded.
	It is for the Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission, advised by the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority, to determine the extent to which Eurotunnel's avant projets remain relevant and the extent to which the Intergovernmental Commission needs to approve the development of alternative procedures for modifications to Eurotunnel's existing arrangements.
	Agreement to the original commissioning of the tunnel operation was on the basis of agreement by the Intergovernmental Commission to avant projets submitted by Eurotunnel, which described proposed structures and procedures.

Lights Commissioners

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on hospitality by the Lights Commissioners in (a) Scotland, (b) the Isle of Man, (c) England and Wales, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) the Republic of Ireland in each of the last three years.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			  
			   200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Northern Lighthouse Board Scotland and the Isle of Man 16,756 18,947 20,356 
			 Trinity House Lighthouse Service England and Wales 35,000 37,000 50,000 
			 Commissioners of Irish Lights Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland 5,000 4,200 4,500 
		
	
	The information for the Isle of Man is included in the figures for the Northern Lighthouse Board. The figures cover funding of internal and external functions that include staff and visitors from other General Lighthouse Authorities.

Lorries/Commercial Vans

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new (a) lorries and (b) commercial vans were bought in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of lorries and commercial vans newly registered in Great Britain in each year are as follows:
	
		
			   Thousand 
			  Lorries Commercial vans 
		
		
			 1997 35 216 
			 1998 41 234 
			 1999 38 234 
			 2000 47 249 
			 2001 51 274 
			 2002 45 284 
			 2003 36 318 
			 2004 35 341 
		
	
	Source:
	Vehicles database, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Multi-modal Study (Tyneside)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action has been taken by Newcastle-upon-Tyne city council in response to his suggestion in the response to the Tyneside area multi-modal study that local authorities locate major generators of personal travel in areas best served by public transport.

Karen Buck: holding answer 15 December 2005
	The Newcastle Upon Tyne Unitary Development Plan (UDP), adopted in January 1998 guides the consideration of possible locations for major travel generating development. The UDP also provides the context for decisions upon individual planning applications. In addition, Government's national planning policy documentsprincipally, planning policy guidance and planning policy statementsprovide a context for the development of plans at the local level.
	In order to update and review the UDP, in consultation with the local community, the city council is producing a local development framework (LDF). The LDF will contain a suite of local development plan documents prepared under the powers of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
	Within the council's local development scheme,, effectively the LDF project plan of action, a key priority is to produce a core strategy development plan document which will be the subject of public consultation in 2006. The core strategy will provide a vision, strategic objectives, spatial strategy and an implementation framework for all other more detailed and site-specific development plans that will be produced in the city. It is these development plans that will help to shape how the city develops and regenerates over the current and next decade, including how development relates to the local transport system.

Public Transport Accessibility (Coventry)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to improve access to public transport for disabled people in Coventry South.

Karen Buck: 50 percent. of Travel Coventry's bus fleet are already low floor, wheelchair accessible vehicles.
	We are supporting, through the local transport plan, Coventry Primelines which is the first phase in Coventry's plans to introduce a city wide quality bus network expanding the bus showcase concept over a wider area. The programme of works include provision of bus boarders, dropped kerbs and tactile paving. There are also proposals to introduce CCTV where appropriate. The scheme started this year and is due to compete in 2009.
	At a national level there has been significant progress in making public transport accessible to disabled people through regulations made under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995). We made the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations in 2000 and many of the trains calling at the station comply with those. Disabled people in Coventry, for example, are benefiting from the RVAR compliant trains which are now serving their area.
	More generally disabled people in Coventry South as elsewhere in the country will also benefit from the provisions in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA 2005). We have already laid regulations which will, from December 2006, lift the transport exemption in Part 3 of the Act for land-based public transport, vehicle hire, breakdown services and vehicles used on leisure and tourism transport services. We will also be consulting shortly on draft regulations to set an end date of no later than 1 January 2020 for when all trains will have to meet the rail vehicle accessibility regulations and to apply those regulations to older trains when they are refurbished.

Railways

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2005, Official Report, column 1857W, on First Great Western Services, by whom records on the reliability and punctuality of rail services between London and Worcestershire are kept.

Derek Twigg: Records on the reliability and punctuality of rail services at the level of detail needed to establish the level of performance between London and Worcestershire are held by Network Rail.

Railways

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent campaigns his Department has undertaken to tackle trespass on the railways by children.

Derek Twigg: Ministers have discussed with the industry action to reduce trespass and have supported initiatives undertaken by Partners Against Railway Crime, a partnership of rail industry organisations which co-ordinates campaigns to reduce trespass on the network. Activities specifically targeting at children have been branded as part of the track off' campaign and have included free resources for use in schools (including video material), teaching plans, community newsletters and speakers for talks in schools.

Railways

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many people have been carried on the UK's trains in each year since 1997; and how many people he expects to be carried in each of the next five years;
	(2)  how many passengers used the railways in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: Information on the numbers of passengers that have used the railways in each year since 1997, is contained in the Office of Rail Regulation's publication, National Rail Trends, a copy of which has been placed in the House Library.
	The Department for Transport's latest published projections for rail usage are set out in the paper The Future of Transport: Modelling and Analysis published on 21 March 2005. The central projection shows rail passenger kilometres increasing by 33 percent. between 2000 and 2010 implying growth of around 3.5 percent. a year for the rest of the decade.

Rates

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was paid by his Department in rates to each local authority in the UK in 200405; and how much was paid in (a) each (i) nation and (ii) region of the UK and (b) London.

Karen Buck: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The total paid in rates to each local authority in the UK in 200405 has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	(a) (i) The total paid in each nation is as follows:
	
		
			   
			 Nation Rates 200405 
		
		
			 England 9,702,688 
			 Northern Ireland 22,646 
			 Scotland 648,252 
			 Wales 1,156,602 
		
	
	(a) (ii) The total paid in each region of the UK is as follows:
	
		
			   
			 Region Rates 200405 
		
		
			 East Midlands 471,148 
			 East of England 449,072 
			 London 4,320,470 
			 North East 247,800 
			 North West 394,397 
			 South East 953,330 
			 South West 689,831 
			 West Midlands 640,988 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 804,326 
		
	
	Owing to operational requirements The Maritime and Coastguard Agency's activities are organised across three regional boundaries: northern, western and eastern. These regional boundaries do not correspond to the Government office regional boundaries and the information requested can be provided only at disproportionate costs. The data in the table therefore does not include Maritime and Coastguard Agency sites.
	(b) The total paid in rates in London was 4,320,470.

Road Traffic Accidents

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost to the public purse of road traffic accidents in each year since 1997, broken down by category of severity of accident.

Stephen Ladyman: The values used to estimate the benefits of the prevention of road accidents are set out in the Highways Economic Note No. 1: 2004 Valuation of the Benefits of Prevention of Road Accidents and Casualties which can be found on the DfT website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/divisionhomepage/030763.hcsp.

Transport Infrastructure (East Sussex)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money has been spent on improvements in transport infrastructure in East Sussex since 1997; and what proportion of this expenditure was spent in Battle, East Sussex.

Karen Buck: Since the introduction of Local Transport Plans in 2000, East Sussex has received around 58 million for local transport improvements and maintenance schemes. In addition the county has received almost 5 million for major local transport schemes. We do not have the data to identify a figure separately for local transport investment in Battle. Funding for trunk roads is neither allocated nor recorded on a county by county basis but we can say that around 22 million has been invested in the following schemes in East Sussex since 2000: A27 Polegate Bypass (19.3 million); A27 Ashcombe Roundabout (1.3 million) and A21 John's Cross Roundabout (1.7 million). East Sussex has also benefited from the new trains and associated power supply and depot upgrades delivered as part of the Mark 1 slam door stock replacement programme, the total value of the investment being in the region of 2 billion.

Lorries/Commercial Vans

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total value of (a) new and (b) secondhand (i) lorries and (ii) commercial vans bought each year since 1997 was.

Alun Michael: I have been asked to reply.
	The following table sets out answers to these questions to the extent that data is available.
	For the UK auto industry, employment data is not separately available for car manufacturing, as the total for vehicles also includes commercial vehicles and engines. For completeness, the table also includes employment at component suppliers, although this understates the true size of the UK auto industry as many suppliers to the industry are classified in the statistics according to what they make (e.g. steel, glass). The ONS Annual Business Inquiry does not have employment data for 1997.
	From this data, it can be deduced that UK auto industry productivity is improving, both in terms of cars made per worker per annum, and GVA per employee. These are important measures that indicate continuing improvements in UK's auto manufacturing competitiveness on the global stage.
	As regards registrations data, new registrations are in the public domain and are quoted here. Used vehicle transaction data is normally a chargeable service from DVLA, but SMMT provides used car sales data on request, and this is quoted here.
	Data on the value of vehicle sales, new or used, is commercially sensitive within the industry and not published. However, data is available from ONS on the value added generated by the motor trade and this is quoted here. Again, the value added generated per employee is on a rising trend, indicating continually improving efficiency and competitiveness.
	
		
			  Source 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Employment: vehicle manufacturing ONS n/a 123,000 116,000 106,000 
			 Employment: auto component manufacture ONS n/a 170,000 158,000 157,000 
			 Value added: vehicle, engine and component mfr ( million) ONS 10,811 10,694 9,355 8,089 
			 Cars manufactured (thousand) SMMT 1,712 1,761 1,786 1,641 
			 Commercial vehicles manufactured (thousand) SMMT 224 215 190 172 
			   
			 Employment: motorcycle manufacturing ONS n/a 1,000 1,000 1,000 
			 Value added: motorcycle and manufacture ( million) ONS 22 26 26 39 
			 Motorcycles manufactured (thousand) MCI 15 17 21 26 
			 Employment: vehicle sales ONS n/a 294 294 289 
			   
			 Employment: other motor trade ONS n/a 253 261 264 
			 Value added: vehicle sales and motor trade ( million) ONS 16,421 16,224 17,512 16,807 
			   
			 Registrations: cars (thousand) DETR 2,170 2,247 2,197 2,221 
			 Registrations: CV's (thousand) DETR 274 295 288 298 
			 Registrations: motorcycles (thousand) DETR 122 144 168 183 
			 car changes of ownership (thousand) SMMT 5,300 5,800 n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		
			  Source 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Employment: vehicle manufacturing ONS 94,000 95,000 91,000 89,000 
			 Employment: auto component manufacture ONS 152,000 148,000 143,000 132,000 
			 Value added: vehicle, engine and component mfr ( million) ONS 9,138 9,126 8,925 9,855 
			 Cars manufactured (thousand) SMMT 1,493 1,630 1,658 1,647 
			 Commercial vehicles manufactured (thousand) SMMT 193 191 189 209 
			   
			 Employment: motorcycle manufacturing ONS 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 
			 Value added: motorcycle and manufacture ( million) ONS 54 92 101 38 
			 Motorcycles manufactured (thousand) MCI 30 15 32 26 
			   
			 Employment: vehicle sales ONS 277 280 277 276 
			 Employment: other motor trade ONS 275 264 281 276 
			 Value added: vehicle sales and motor trade ( million) ONS 18,911 20,313 21,876 22,296 
			   
			 Registrations: cars (thousand) DETR 2,459 2,563 2,579 2,567 
			 Registrations: CV's (thousand) DETR 313 322 364 390 
			 Registrations: motorcycles (thousand) DETR 177 162 157 134 
			 car changes of ownership (thousand) SMMT 6,700 7,100 7,500 7,700